Four seamen were rescued but ten are still missing after two ships capsized in two separate accidents off east China, local public security sources said on Saturday.

 

A fishing boat with three aboard capsized in high waves around 5:50 P.M. on Friday off Pinghai in the coastal city of Putian in Fujian Province, according to Putian public security sources.

 

One of the fishermen was rescued by local residents and police but the other two are still missing.

 

In another accident, a cargo ship loaded with sand anchored at sea around 7:30 P.M. on Friday en route to Xiuyu port in Putian. The ship sprang a leak in the early hours of Saturday morning and sank.

 

Three of the 11 sailors on board, who were sleeping when the ship began to capsize, managed to survive using a life raft, but the others are still missing.

 

Local maritime, fishing and public security authorities are still organizing the rescue operations with a team of 20 ships.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2007)