Seven fishermen have been rescued while six others are still missing after their vessel capsized and sank off east China coast, rescuers said on Saturday.

The vessel with 13 fishermen aboard left Dongshan Port, Fujian Province Monday afternoon, but soon capsized due to a heavy loading in high waves, said one of the rescued fishermen.

The ship quickly sank and only seven of them managed to survive on a life raft, and the others, including the captain, were missing, the fisherman said.

The seven in the life raft lingered at sea for nearly four days till another passing fishing vessel from Guangdong Province found and rescued them about 20 nautical miles southeast of the mouth of the Pearl River.

Considering the weak conditions of the rescued, the vessel asked for help from local maritime rescue center.

The seven finally got aboard a South China Sea Rescue Bureau vessel which sent them to Yantian Port in Shenzhen for medical treatment.

Rescuers are still searching for the six missing fishermen, who are believed to have little chance of survival.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2007)