FUZHOU, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The search for 11 people missing after a vessel collision continued around the coast near Putian City in east China's Fujian on Monday, the third day since the accident.

    "We have 230 people involved in the search at sea and 500 people combing the sea and small islets," said an officer surnamed Chen with the Putian Maritime Affairs Bureau.

    He said a helicopter and 17 vessels were involved in the search.

    The accident occurred when a freighter and a fishing boat collided 12:35 p.m. Saturday off Putian's Nanri Island, causing the fishing boat, Minshiyu 3785, to sink. Two of the 14 crew were rescued, and one has been confirmed dead.

    Wang Huayong, one of the two rescued, said they were about to cast the net for fishing, when the freighter suddenly ran into the boat.

    "All the crew were on deck at the time. The boat capsized and we all fell into the sea," said Wang, 23, of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

    He said he and another fisherman, Zhuang Zhiming, were saved by people on the freighter.

    "We found the body of Zhuang Sijin, one of the crew from the boat, afterwards, but could see no sign of the others," said Wang.

    The Putian Maritime Search and Rescue Center received the report and launched the rescue operation at around 2:58 p.m. Saturday.

    Lu Shaohua, a police officer with the Fujian Maritime Police, said Monday the chances of survival for the missing crew were slim, as waves were as high as 3 meters and the water temperature was just 11 degrees Celsius on Monday.

    "The crew members fell into the sea without life vests. Based on our rescue experience, people cannot hold on for three days in cold water. But if they accidentally made it to an islet, they could survive," he said.

    Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident. The freighter, which weighed about 4 million tons, is registered in north China's Tianjin Municipality. The fishing boat is from Quanzhou City in Fujian.

One dead, 11 missing after vessels collide in E China

Two sailors (Front) rescued from a vessel collision accident walk to a hospital for medical checkup in Putian, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 10, 2010. One of the three persons who were rescued died and 11 others were missing when a freighter collided with a fishing boat on Jan. 9 in waters off Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Guojun) Photo Gallery>>>

    FUZHOU, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- One person was confirmed dead and 11 others were missing after a freighter collided with a fishing boat Saturday in waters off Putian City in east China's Fujian Province, local officials said. Full story