Rescue work underway for 8 missing off south China coast

GUANGZHOU, April 21 — Rescuers are searching for eight fishermen, including three from Macao, who have been missing off the Pearl River Estuary in South China for more than two days.

The sunken fishing boat was initially located Saturday night over 20 meters under the sea and more divers were sent into the sea Sunday to detect and reach the missing fishermen.

The wooden boat, owned by a person from Macao and with eight on board, went missing Thursday night near the Pearl River Estuary, the Zhuhai municipal information office said Sunday. The other five on board are from the Chinese mainland.

Earlier, the boat, 25 meters long and 6.56 meters wide, could not be precisely located as it had shut off its automatic identification system, said the office.

Local maritime rescue authorities have sent airplanes and ships to search a sea area of more than 600 square kilometers. They also used sonar technology and sent three divers into the water to detect the boat.

Rescue authorities from Hong Kong and Macao also joined in the rescue operation.