12 missing as two ships collide off south China

Twelve crew members remain missing after two cargo ships collided off the coast of south China's Guangdong Province early Monday, said local maritime search and rescue center. 

Maritime search and rescue center in Guangdong Province on rescue [Photo: Chinanews.com]

A bulk ship carrying 5,000 tonnes of sand sank in the sea waters near the Pearl River estuary after colliding with a ship loaded with 5,038 tonnes of steel at about 3 a.m., said the Guangzhou maritime search and rescue center.

Two crew members from the sunken ship have been rescued but the rest 12 remain missing. Eleven sailors from the steel ship have also been rescued.

Thirty rescue ships, one helicopter and other ships nearby have joined in the search for the missing ones.

The two ships were registered in the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Fujian.

An investigation into the cause of the collision is under way.