Hong Kong rescuers search for crew of ship that split in two after being caught in typhoon
The Hong Kong Government Flight Service (GFS) said the ship sank about 300 kilometers, or 185 miles, southwest of the island.
In a post on its Instagram account, the GFS said it received a rescue request at 7:25 a.m. local time on Saturday. He said the ship’s crew abandoned ship after sustaining major damage in the South China Sea.
Dramatic video of the rescue operation showed a crew member pulling a rope into a helicopter from the ship as it sank.
Three crew members were rescued, but the fate of the remaining 27 people on board the vessel remains unclear, GFS said, adding that harsh weather conditions were hampering search and rescue operations.
Four helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft sorties were deployed to the scene to carry out search and rescue operations, the GFS added.
The storm caused disruption across the region, with flights canceled and some businesses closed due to high winds and heavy downpours.
Hong Kong authorities issued a typhoon warning on Thursday, during the much-anticipated visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The inauguration of a new Hong Kong Palace Museum which was to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the city’s handover from British to Chinese rule has been postponed until Sunday due to the storm.
Chaba made landfall in China’s Guandong province around 3 p.m. local time (3 a.m. ET).
cnn en2fr2en
