9 dead, 2 missing after freighter sinks off east China coast

Jinan, Dec 13 (IANS) Nine crew members have died after their cargo ship sank off the coast of Yantai City, east China's Shandong province, the Beihai Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport said.

The cargo ship, "Tianfeng 369", sank in the sea waters 30 nautical miles northeast of Yantai early Sunday morning. A total of 14 crew members were on board when the accident occurred, Xinhua news agency reported.

The rescue bureau received a report of the accident at 4:43 a.m and then sent a rescue helicopter and a rescue vessel to join in the rescue operation.

As of 10 p.m, rescuers had salvaged 12 people out of the water, with three in stable condition and nine with no signs of life.

The rescue and search operation for the remaining two missing crew members is still underway.

The ship is owned by the Tianfeng Marine Shipping Co. Ltd. in Shouguang city, Shandong province.