One sailor died and four other are missing after two freighters collided off the coast of Quanzhou City in southeast China's Fujian Province Sunday morning, local authorities said.

A Quanzhou-registered freighter sunk after colliding with another freighter registered in eastern city of Nanjing at about 9 AM, and 12 sailors aboard the Quanzhou ship fell into water, said Zhou Honghui, of the Quanzhou Municipal Maritime Affairs Bureau.

Eight sailors were rescued, but one of them died on the way of being rushed to hospital, Zhou said.

Rescuers are searching the area for the other four missing people, the official said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2007)