Dozens are missing after an engineering vessel snapped in two and sank in the waters off Hong Kong.
The disaster struck during ferocious gales brought by tropical storm Chaba, which passed through the region Saturday.
Authorities mobilized planes and helicopters for an immediate rescue effort, but so far have only retrieved three members of the 30-person crew.
The three who were rescued said their crew mates might have been swept away from the stricken ship as it tilted in the water. They were only able to cling to railings while they waited for help, the South China Morning Post reported.
Some of the crew had abandoned the vessel, hampering efforts to pull them to safety, rescuers said.
The storm is said to have reached maximum winds of 68 miles per hour.
The dent took place in 186 miles off the southern coast of Hong Kong. The storm made landfall Saturday afternoon in the city of Zhanjiang in China’s Guangdong province.
With Post Wires
