Chinese Cargo Vessel Sinks Leaving 1 Dead and 1 Missing

According to Chinese embassy officials and the Philippine Coast Guard, one Chinese crew member has died and another is missing after their Chinese-flagged cargo vessel, Changda 216, sank off the northern Philippines.

All crew members abandoned the sinking ship. There is currently an ongoing search and rescue mission for the missing sailor. 13 other members of the onboard crew were rescued after reaching shore aboard two lifeboats, only one needed to be hospitalized. The third lifeboat overturned causing the drowning of the deceased crew member.

After taking on a battle with large waves and torrential rain caused by a monsoon; the ship, half-loaded with magnetized sand, sank close to the mouth of the Cagayan River. The cause of the sinking is assumed to be the weight of all of the sand being shifted to one side of the cargo vessel as it tilted, according to the ship’s captain.

As of now, the sunken ship is under close watch to prevent any oil spills or leaks as it is loaded with 70 tons of diesel. The mast of the ship can still be seen from the water’s surface, but any salvage is not yet possible due to rough sea conditions. Again, search and rescue for the missing crew member is still ongoing.