It was reported that a ship split in two due to a severe typhoon in the South China Sea and more than 20 crew members were missing off Hong Kong. Three of the 30 people on board were rescued.
Hong Kong Government Flight Services said three crew members were rescued following the disaster caused by Typhoon Chaba, and search operations continue at sea about 300 kilometers southwest of the city.
It is reported that the typhoon has subsided and is expected to affect China’s Guangdong province this afternoon.
Authorities said the ship, 300km southwest of Hong Kong, was “significantly damaged and split into two pieces”.
It is stated that the incident became known around 7:30 am local time.
It was announced that the crew of 30 abandoned the ship, and as of 15:00 in the afternoon, three people were rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment.
It was stated that the speed of the wind at the location of the ship reached 144 kilometers per hour and the waves reached a height of 10 meters.
Other crew members may have been swept away by the waves before the first helicopter arrived, according to three survivors, officials said.