26 missing after typhoon breaks China’s engineering vessel
ISTANBUL
At least 26 crew members are still missing on Monday after three days of an intense search for survivors as heavy winds broke an engineering vessel in half in southern China, local media reported.
The rescue mission, however, succeeded in saving the fourth crew member of the vessel named Fujing 001 early on Monday, according to daily South China Morning Post. The vessel was used for offshore wind power project construction.
Sweeping across Hong Kong at 10-meter height with a speed of 144km/h, Typhoon Chaba hit and sank the vessel carrying 30-member crew in waters near Yangjiang city in southern China’s Guangdong province before dawn on Saturday.
Its anchor chain broke in the typhoon over the weekend and sank.
Chaba triggered this year’s first No.8 alert signal in Hong Kong.
The rescue mission is jointly being carried on by mainland China’s Transport Ministry and Hong Kong Government Flying Service.
This overnight disaster happened some 300 kilometers (186.4 miles) southwest of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s pilot Li Ka-wing said four fixed-wing aircrafts, six helicopters and 36 rescuers were dispatched to the scene but heavy winds caused disturbance in the rescue mission.
Chinese authorities at the Emergency Management Ministry said the accident “exposed the weak links in typhoon safety management.”
“Lessons should be learned from the accident. Vessels should return to the port and people should be back on the shore during typhoons to minimize the risk of similar disasters,” it said, calling for an investigation “to identify the problems and those responsible should be held accountable according to the law and regulations.”
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