Seven missing after boat collision

Rescuers are battling high winds in rough seas off the east coast of China to search for seven people reported missing after their fishing boat allegedly crashed with a foreign cargo ship two day ago, local officials said Wednesday.

Maritime authorities lost contact with the boat at about 3 p.m. Monday after it was called return to dock to avoid strong winds. The seven crew members remain missing, the maritime officers of Zhejiang Province said.

The authorities are verifying reports that the boat capsized after colliding with a Singapore-registered container cargo ship code-named Kota Nebula just offshore of Zhoushan.