On the morning of October 20th, an alarming incident occurred near the Sishan Islands of Xiapu, Ningde, in Fujian Province, when a cargo ship sank, leaving five crew members in perilous conditions. Fortunately, all five crew members were rescued and brought safely ashore without any life-threatening injuries.
At 5 AM on the same day, the Fujian Maritime Search and Rescue Center received a report from the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center regarding the “Baichuan 158,” a cargo ship registered in Yingkou, Liaoning. The ship encountered distress signals while located west of the Sishan Islands in Ningde.
In response, the Fujian Maritime Authority quickly organized search and rescue operations, deploying maritime, fishing, and coast guard vessels, as well as professional rescue boats and helicopters to the scene. They also coordinated with over 20 passing ships in the area to assist in the search for the crew members who had fallen overboard.
The situation was complicated by a cold wave and strong winds in the area, which reached force 8 to 9, with wave heights of 4 to 5 meters. The Fujian Maritime Authority utilized scientific analysis to track the drifting paths of the. They expanded the search area for the rescue efforts despite the challenging conditions.
At 7:40 AM, the vessel “Jiachi” discovered and rescued the first crew member, transferring him to a rescue helicopter for medical treatment. At 11:30 AM, the “Hai Xun 0809,” operated by the Ningde Maritime Bureau, successfully rescued three more crew members in waters north of Fuying Island. Just 25 minutes later, the last crew member was also rescued from the same area. All five crew members were then provided with hot water, food, blankets, and a place to rest in order to help them regain their strength and body temperature.
Currently, all five rescued crew members have been taken ashore and sent to a hospital for treatment. The investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.
