Search for missing seamen underway

Five seamen from Wenzhou are still missing as of Wednesday morning after a collision in the East China Sea, the Zhejiang provincial maritime department said.

A Panamanian bulk carrier Ocean Loong collided with the fishing vessel Zhecangyu 00808 registered in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, off Wenzhou on Tuesday evening, according to maritime authorities in East China's Zhejiang province on Wednesday.

The fishing boat sank with five men on board, all of whom are still missing.

Maritime authorities are sparing no efforts in searching for the five men, local authorities said.

The Zhejiang provincial maritime search and rescue center immediately dispatched rescue vessels and helicopters from the departments such as maritime and fishery to search in the waters where the accident happened.

Fang Xiaoying in Hangzhou contributed to this story.