The Maltese cargo ship Catalina has been seized with 20 crew members and captain on board in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang Province after it rammed and sank a Chinese fishing boat, killing at least two crew members.
Seventeen others on the Chinese fishing boat, Lurongyu 58398, are missing. Rescue work is underway, and local border control and maritime authorities are investigating the incident, the China National Radio reported Sunday.
The incident took place about 80 nautical miles east of Ningbo early Saturday morning, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center.
Two crew members were rescued by a nearby fishing boat but were later found dead, People's Daily reported.
Seven military vessels from the East China Fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army navy were sent to search for the missing crew members along with other ships from the maritime authorities, according to the People's Daily.
The military ships have searched over 1,200 square nautical miles as of press time, but no signs of life have been found, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday, adding that rain and strong winds at sea may have complicated the search.
