Rescuers in eastern China faced a tough task as they rushed to save the crews of two sinking cargo ships amid strong winds and 15-foot tall sea waves.
The rescues reportedly took place off the coast of Jiangsu Province just hours apart on the morning of 28th August.
It began as the East China Sea Rescue Bureau received a distress call from ‘Huahai 601’, a large ship that was transporting iron ore and was dangerously tilting to the side.
Weather conditions were worsening due to an oncoming tropical storm and the crew needed urgent help before the ship capsized.
A rescue vessel and helicopter were immediately sent to the scene.
The boat reportedly arrived at around 6:18am and managed to reach the stranded crews within two minutes, despite facing 60 mph winds and 15-foot tall waves.
Using a life-saving basket, all 15 crew members were transferred to safety.
Less than half an hour later, the ‘Huahai 601’ sank to the bottom of the sea.
At the same time, another bulk carrier ‘Zhenghe 9’ loaded with iron ore was also affected by the adverse sea conditions and heavy rain.
The ship’s hold was severely flooded and it was sinking. There were 10 crew members on board who were in urgent need of rescue.
A rescue helicopter was sent to the scene at around 7:29am and arrived around 40 minutes later, according to the Bureau.
At that point, only the ship’s bow was visible above the sea surface and the crew were at risk of drowning.
Rescuers managed to save them using long ropes and winches in less than half an hour.
All 25 stranded individuals have been successfully rescued and are out of danger, the Bureau added.
