The fishing vessel, named Phu Tan,capsized and sank due to strong gales in the sea about 110 nauticalmiles to the west of Sanya city in the southern island province ofHainan , according to China ’s Xinhua News Agency.
Chinese maritime rescue authorities dispatched a rescue vessel tosearch for the missing fishermen after receiving two emergency callsfrom the Vietnam Maritime Administration at noon.
Hindered by gale force winds of up to 90km per hour, the rescue vesselwas expected to reach the site where the fishing vessel sank by 9 p.m.
A towboat travelling about 40 sea miles away from the site was also ordered to assist with the rescue./.