11 missing as cargo ship sinks near Hong Kong after colliding with container vessel

HONG KONG – Rescuers are searching for 11 crew members of a cargo vessel that sank after colliding with a container ship in waters near Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's marine department said one man had been rescued by a fishing vessel following the accident, which occurred before dawn Monday in international waters just south of the southern Chinese city.

A marine official said the 97-meter (320-foot) cargo vessel was carrying cement and was registered in mainland China. It is suspected to have sunk after colliding with the 300-meter (985-foot) container vessel.

A command center in Guangdong province on the mainland is coordinating the search and rescue effort.

Hong Kong's waterways are frequently crowded with sampans, commuter ferries and cruise ships as well as massive container ships serving the city's busy port.