Chinese vessel rescues 5 Sierra Leonean fishermen from sinking boat

FREETOWN - Chinese fishing vessel YuanYu 708 rescued five Sierra Leonean fishermen after their boat sank in rough seas, local media reported on Wednesday.

According to the reports, amid heavy rain and strong waves on Tuesday, Wang Pingchao, captain of the Chinese fishing vessel, spotted distress signals from a sinking local fishing boat during a routine watch. He immediately directed the vessel at full speed toward the scene.

By the time YuanYu 708 arrived, the fishing boat had already sunk, leaving five fishermen struggling in the water without adequate life-saving equipment and exposed to the risks of hypothermia and drowning.

The Chinese vessel activated its emergency response procedures and informed company management, which dispatched the support vessel Chang Rong-3 with medical personnel on board to assist, according to the vessel's crew.

The YuanYu 708 team quickly launched a rescue operation and successfully brought all five fishermen aboard. The survivors received dry clothing, food, drinking water, basic medical treatment and emotional support after being rescued.

Members of the Sierra Leone Navy and local authorities later visited the vessel, commended the Chinese crew for their professionalism, courage and humanitarian action, local media reported.