A dozen naval vessels and two helicopters arrived on November 26 and 27 to help the 6,000 rescue workers in scouring rough seas and shorelines for survivors of the "Dashun" ship that caught fire and capsized off the eastern Chinese port of Yantai late on November 24.

Sources said that another rescue ship from the Shanghai Branch of the Ministry of Communications has been sent.

During four days of rescue work, a flotilla of vessels and more than 600 local military police and naval personnel have been mobilized to carry out rescue operations.

More than 5,000 people from coastal villages searched a 28-mile (45-kilometer) stretch of coastline for survivors despite sub zero temperatures and high waves.

Some 100 doctors and nurses from five local hospitals arrived at the scene in less than ten minutes after being told of the disaster. Survivors are being taken very good care of at local hospitals.

The provincial government of Shandong has organized a special group to direct the rescue work along with assistance from the North Sea fleet and the military forces from the nearby city of Jinan.

The State Council, China's top governing body, also sent an investigation panel led by Shi Wanpeng, deputy minister of the State Economic and Trade Commission, to direct and supervise rescue operations.

With 262 passengers and 40 crew members on aboard, the "Dashun" ship of the Yantai Yanda Automobile Ferry Company caught fire on Wednesday afternoon and sank at about midnight Wednesday. It has been confirmed that 22 people have been rescued alive so far.