Two cargo ships sank in Bohai Bay in north China yesterday during winds measuring nine on the Beaufort Scale, but all crew members were rescued.

The Zhuyang III was carrying 4,000 tons of coal and 30 containers from Tianjin to Ningbo when it capsized early on Wednesday, according to Hebei's marine search and rescue center.

Six sea craft and one helicopter were mobilized by the center to assist at 8:10 AM, and all 15 crew members were rescued at 10:18 AM., three of whom were injured.

The second ship, from east China's Zhejiang Province, was carrying sand from Ningbo to Qinhuangdao and also sank in Bohai Bay that afternoon. All 19 of its crew were rescued about 20 minutes later.

The Ministry of Communications' North China Sea Salvage Bureau said the strong winds had caused water to enter the cabin and destabilize the ship, making it sink at 3:20 PM.

The bureau received an SOS from the ship at 2 PM and mobilized two vessels and a helicopter.

The crew, who had abandoned the ship, were rescued at 3:42 PM.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2005)