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Rescue Operations for Missing Fishermen Called Off
The large-scale rescue operations for 16 Chinese fishermen who have been missing since an mishap in the South China Sea on Sunday were called off late Thursday.
However, the Hainan Maritime Affairs Administration and local fishery departments at lower levels will continue to issue rescue notices asking passing merchant ships and fishing boats near the site of the marine accident to pay close attention and extend a helping hand if needed, sources said Friday.
According to earlier reports, the fishermen's boat suffered a leak in the sea 60 miles southeast off Hainan Island on October 21, but the provincial on-the-sea search and rescue center was not informed of the mishap until the morning of October 22.
On learning of the accident, the center promptly launched large- scale around-the-clock rescue operations, sending a large number of ships and boats, including military vessels, to help rescue the fishermen, but none of the fishermen were found.
The center expanded the scope of the rescue operations Thursday, but again ended in vain, said sources from the center. The extremely bad weather near the site of the mishap, such as torrential rainfall and gales, made the rescue efforts impossible to continue.
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