9 missing in south China ship collision

Nine people have gone missing following a Monday collision between a cargo ship and a fishing boat off the coast of south China's Guangdong province, maritime authorities said.

A Guangxi province-registered cargo ship sank in the early morning near the city of Shanwei after colliding with a Hong Kong-registered fishing boat, according to the municipal marine safety bureau.

Eleven people were flung into the water from the cargo ship, with two of them rescued thus far, the bureau said.

The bureau said rescue efforts are under way, although low visibility caused by storms has hampered rescuers.

The Hong Kong government has dispatched a plane and a helicopter to aid in rescue efforts.