Seven still missing after boat capsizes off E China

HANGZHOU, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Six fishermen were saved and seven others are still missing after their boat capsized in the East China Sea, local police said Monday.

The accident occurred at about 4 a.m. when 13 fishermen were working on the boat in Nangtong City, Jiangsu Province, according to border patrol officers of Zhejiang Province, where the boat was registered.

The maritime administration of Zhejiang dispatched about 20 rescue ships to the site after the accident took place. Five fishermen were rescued at 1 p.m. and another one at 3 p.m.

"The rescued fishermen are on the way back to the land. They will arrive in 15 or 18 hours," said Zhang Zhenyuan, a border patrol officer. "Police will start investigating the cause of the incident on their arrival."

The 34.2-meter-long private boat had a cargo capacity of 159 tonnes, according to the administration.