Two ships sink in high winds, 57 missing
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-17 19:08

Two ships sank in high winds in the same stretch of the Taiwan Strait off eastern China, leaving 57 people missing, Xinhua news agency said on Friday.

Two ships sank in high winds in the same stretch of the Taiwan Strait off eastern China, leaving 57 people missing, Xinhua news agency said on Friday. [Reuters]

A cargo ship, fully loaded with "aquatic products" and headed for Indonesia, was the first to sink after it struck a reef near coastal Fujian province's Dongjia island at around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, Xinhua said.

The ship, sailing under a Panamanian flag, was carrying 37 people. Rescue teams saved four, but 33 people were still missing as of Friday afternoon, it said.

About two hours later, early on Friday, a fishing boat with 27 people aboard sank, again after hitting a reef near Dongjia island.

Three people from the fishing boat were rescued but 24 were still missing, Xinhua said.

Chances of finding many survivors from the accidents were slim, it said.

More than 230 people died or were listed as missing in boat sinkings in China last year, according to state media.