Two bodies found after Chinese ship capsizes
BEIJING:TWO bodies were found on Thursday in the search for 39 crew members missing ater a Chinese fishing vessel capsized in the Indian Ocean, Beijing’s state media reported.
The ongoing search operation following the capsizing of the Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028 “found and salvaged the remains of two victims,” Xinhua news agency reported.
The Chinese vessel overturned in the early hours of Tuesday, carrying 17 Chinese, 17 Indonesians and five Filipinos.
No details were given on the nationalities of the two bodies found on Thursday.
The boat capsized within Australia’s vast search-and-rescue region, Beijing’s ambassador to Canberra said on Thursday, noting it was 5,000 km to the west of Perth, the state capital of Western Australia.
Countries are responsible for ensuring search and rescue in determined areas of the world’s oceansunderaninternationalmaritimeconvention.
Australia has sent three aeroplanes and four ships to help in the international searchand-rescue efforts, ambassador Xiao Qian said earlier, urging Canberra to send more aircrat, ships and personnel to find the vessel.
He also requested that the Australian government coordinate with other nations closer to the capsized ship.
China was now seeking further help in coordination with Australian defence officials, he said.
“To this moment, no individual has been found alive,” Xiao said.
An Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) spokesperson said Australia was organising rescue efforts and liaising with Chinese authorities in the search for survivors.
Aircrat, including an Australian military plane, were currently scouring a 12,000square kilometre (4,600 square miles) area south of where the upturned hull had been discovered as part of the “multinational” effort, the spokesperson said.
“A number of merchant ships and other vessels have been assisting with the search and will continue to do so today. AMSA would like to thank these vessels and their crews for their invaluable assistance,” the spokesperson said.