BEIJING, Nov. 26 -- Two women have joined the country's marine rescue and salvage flying team for the first time.

    Song Yin and Wan Qiuwen, both graduating from Shanghai Maritime University, signed a 15-year work contract with the Ministry of Communications' East Sea First Rescue Flying Service to join the team yesterday.

    The two women, both 21, will be trained as pilots for at least two years after they graduate next June.

    They are expected to take positions as co-pilots of rescue helicopters for the East China Sea if they manage to pass the physically demanding training.

    But they will take non-flying jobs if they fail pilot training, flying service officials said.

    "It's a brand new trial for us (to recruit female rescue pilots)," Huang Rongfeng, office director of the flying service, told Shanghai Daily after yesterday's signing ceremony.

    As one of the country's four marine salvage pilot teams, the flying service rescues storm-bound fishermen, trapped seamen and those on sinking vessels.

    All of the 10-plus working pilots are male, mostly with a navigation background.

    "Females are weaker physically and take fewer risks, but they are also careful - that's very important for our country's rescue services," Huang said.

    Twenty-three women students in the university's navigation department signed up for the service's recruitment this year. Song and Wan won out of the competition.

    Song, who is also one of the top 10 singers on her campus, said they understood the hardship and risks to life of being a salvage pilot.

    "But I get excited thinking about the lofty responsibility of saving others," Song said. "I won't regret my choice."

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)