Chinese maritime authorities have launched a search and rescue operation for two missing seafarers after a small Chinese bulk carrier sank following a collision with a Wan Hai Lines containership on Saturday.
The vessel collided with the boxship in the Pearl River Estuary on the evening of October 25 when the 8 000-ton bulker, Hai Li 5, reportedly lost power and struck the inbound Wan Hai A17 (144 572 dwt), causing the bulker to sink rapidly near the Mayoushi Lightship in the Lingding Channel.
According to a statement from Wan Hai Lines, the Singapore-flagged containership immediately activated emergency measures, deploying lifebuoys and emergency signalling devices, and launched a rescue boat to assist.
The Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) also initiated a search operation, deploying rescue teams and temporarily suspending vessel traffic in the area of the crash.
Chinese officials confirmed that 13 of the 15 crew members from the Hai Li 5 had been rescued from the water, with the search continuing for the two missing seafarers. No pollution has been reported from the incident.
The Wan Hai A17, one of the Taiwanese shipping company's largest vessels, with a capacity of 13 100 TEUs, remains in stable condition and has been detained and anchored in the Lingding Channel to assist with investigations. None of the 23 crew members aboard the containership were injured during the collision.
The container ship, the tenth in a series built by Samsung Heavy Industries and delivered in August 2024, holds "Smart Ship Notation" certification, enabling real-time monitoring of navigation data and equipment for enhanced safety.
Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) confirmed it had been notified of the accident on October 26 and would conduct its own investigation alongside Chinese authorities, providing assistance as required.
