China boat crash: At least twelve missing after tankers collide off southeast coast

Boat was hit by ship and sank about 1am

Image from the Hong Kong Police FB page in reference to the collision of vessels. Police are searching for at least 12 people who went when the incident occurred near Lamma Island on Tuesday 12 March 2019. (香港警察 Hong Kong Police/FB)

At least 12 people are missing after two collisions between ships and fishing boats off the southeast coast of China.

In Zhejiang province, local authorities said 14 people aboard a fishing boat fell into the water after their boat was hit by a ship and sank at about 1am.

Two were rescued and ships in the area were called in to help search for the others.

To the south, a search was underway for crew members of a fishing boat that collided with an oil tanker in waters off Hong Kong.

Hong Kong police said the fishing boat sank after the collision on Tuesday morning.

It was not immediately clear how many people were on board the fishing boat and how many were missing.

Police said all 13 crew members on the Chinese-registered oil tanker were safe.

The collision happened southeast of Hong Kong's Lamma Island.

In January, at least one person died in a fire on a Vietnam-registered oil tanker as it prepared to refuel off the same island.

AP