China’s Maritime and Safety Administration personnel rescued 25 seafarers in two separate incidents off Lianyungang port in Jiangsu province, on 28 August.
In the first incident, just after midnight (local time), a 5,000 dwt general cargo ship, whose name was not released, was sailing with a cargo of iron ore, when it was hit by strong wind and waves. The cargo hold and engine room of the vessel became flooded, trapping its 10-man crew. A distress call was sent out, and the East China Sea bureau of the MSA despatched a helicopter to rescue the crew around 7.30am local time.
After assessing the wind and sea conditions at the site, the helicopter crew immediately hoisted the trapped seamen in five batches, using double-hanging winches. By 8.47am, all the seafarers were placed in the helicopter, which landed at 9.25am.
The vessel capsized shortly after.
In the second incident, around 5.50am local time, the crew of a general cargo ship carrying 6,000 tonnes of nickel ore, sought rescue personnel’s help, saying that the ship was listing severely and was in danger of capsizing at any time.
Lianyungang’s search and rescue centre deployed a patrol vessel to the scene, and all 15 crew members were whisked from the deck of the stricken ship, which sank two hours later.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
