Rescuers are still trying to search for 13 fishermen who went missing after their boat collided with a Hong Kong cargo ship in the Eastern China Sea on Friday, local government said on Monday.

Aircrafts and ships dispatched by maritime authorities of China, Japan and Republic of Korea have been patrolling over the water area off Zhejiang Province in the country's eastern coast for three days, but no signs of the missing people have been found.

The accident took place at about 9:30 p.m. on Friday, when the fishing boat carrying 18 crew members sank soon after it collided with a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship.

Two of the crew were rescued, but three others were found dead with another 13 missing.

The Hong Kong ship left after the accident.

The sunken boat, coded "Lu Rong Yu 2177", belonged to a fishing company based in Rongcheng City, Shandong Province.

The government of Rongcheng on Monday launched a two-month overhaul on all boats and ports to ensure maritime operations.

A total of 50 law enforcement officers are examining vessels and docks across the city, urging those with safety problems to improve work conditions within two months.

Staff from the local maritime bureau are investigating the cause of the accident and hunting for the Hong Kong vessel.

(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2008)