Search continues for 74 missing in boat sinking (2)

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Typhoon Underestimated

Chen Songyin, captain of the Yuetaiyu 61008, told Xinhua by phone on Monday evening that the fishermen should have chosen Chenhang Island for shelter instead of Shanhu Island.

"Chenhang Island is the best place to avoid gales in the Xisha Islands, but there were too many fishing boats there," said Chen, who is currently at Chenhang Island.

According to Chen's experience, Shanhu Island would be able to withstand a moderate typhoon, but Typhoon Wutip was too strong.

"It was too late to leave at that time," he said.

Waves were as big as tornadoes at about 2 p.m. on Sunday and visibility was less than 10 meters. A TV antenna and a satellite telephone on the ship were both destroyed by the typhoon, he said.

Three fishing boats sank one after another. Chen organized staff on the other two boats to rescue fishermen who had fallen into the water.

They were able to save ten people, and soldiers at Shanhu Island saved another three.

Fishermen underestimated the impact of the typhoon, which contributed to the accident, according to sources with the government of Sansha City.

The fishermen had already received typhoon warnings since Friday but did not go ashore. Instead, they placed their ships in a lagoon south of Shanhu Island to avoid gales, but the typhoon overturned their boats.

"Fishing authorities had issued warnings to those ships through the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, but the fishermen underestimated the typhoon," said Yang Jingye, deputy head of the Taishan municipal marine and fishing bureau.

Although the fishing boats had dropped their anchors, the gales were too fierce and overturned the ships, said Yang.

The only sound harbor in the area for avoiding strong gales is Chenhang Island, but ships there were also damaged or stranded, showing the power of the typhoon, said Fu Lashuai, head of the fishing affairs administration station of Qionghai City, a coastal city in Hainan Province.

"Fishing boats from other provinces may not be familiar with the waters around Xisha Islands," said Fu.

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