(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-14 20:59

Yichang -- Salvage teams say a half-sunken cargo vessel loaded with extremely corrosive chemicals poses a low pollution threat to the Yangtze River.

However, salvage operations of the "Xianghan Shouwei 0298" were hampered by thick fog Friday.

"The cargo hold is under water, but the doors are safely sealed. There is little chance the chemicals will leak," said Xu Changming, a government spokesman of Yidu city, Hubei Province.

No leaks or casualties on the vessel had been reported, he said.

The ship was set to sail to Hunan Province with 500 tons of liquid caustic soda from Zhicheng Harbor in Yidu city, on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River,

However, the vessel was found to be taking on water at around 7:00 am Friday after they had loaded 130 tons of the chemical.

A rescue ship arrived at the scene around 11:00 am and a salvage team at 3:00 pm, said Xu.

Rescuers carried out repairs to stop the sinking, and they planned to hoist the fore of the ship and drain the chemical from the hold.

The municipal environment bureau has been monitoring water quality, but detected no pollution from the vessel so far.

Liquid caustic soda, with a concentration of 32 percent, is listed as a dangerous chemical.