Six Rescued after Cargo Ship Sinks in Taiwan Strait

After it developed a heavy list, the general cargo vessel Shen Zhou 33 sank in the Taiwan Strait, according to a report from China Maritime Safety Administration.

According to initial reports, the vessel, which capsized in the afternoon of March 14, started listing due to a shift of the cargo it was transporting.

The vessel’s crew of six members managed to leave the Chinese-flagged ship before it capsized some 1.3 nautical miles off Chongwu, Fujian.

Two coast guard boats were sent to the scene and the authorities put additional rescue ships and a rescue helicopter on standby.

The crew were soon rescued and transported to safety.

There were no reports of injuries or pollution due to the incident, however, the officials are still monitoring the wreck site.

Relevant authorities launched an investigation into the details that led to the sinking.

At the time of the incident the cargo ship was on its way from Shantou to Quanzhou.

World Maritime News Staff