4 crew missing after fishing boat capsizes in Straits

Four people remain missing after a fishing boat with 17 crew capsized in the early hours of Thursday off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian province, in the Taiwan Straits, maritime authorities in the province said.

The accident was reported to the Fujian Maritime Search and Rescue Center at 6:43 am, the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration said.

The administration said a ship and a helicopter were immediately sent out to assist rescue efforts, with several civilian vessels nearby mobilized later.

By 10:25 am, 13 crew members had been rescued-three of them by another fishing boat. All 13 have been sent to hospitals, the administration said.

Three prefecture-level maritime authorities close to the site have been asked to help determine the drifting path of the missing fishermen.

They sent two vessels and a helicopter to help first responders, and solicited help from two foreign vessels passing by.

The administration said strong winds were encountered during the rescue efforts, with waves reaching heights of up to 5 meters.