Strong gales along with a cold front from Siberia resulted in the capsize of two vessels in the East China Sea yesterday, leaving five people missing, according to Xinhua News Agency today.

Shanghai maritime authorities said they sent a rescue ship and a helicopter after receiving a distress call from a fishing boat on Sunday morning.

The boat, with 11 crew members on board, capsized in a storm 30 sea miles away from the Zhoushan Islands, but all the crew were rescued from the cold sea.

A second capsize occurred 30 sea miles northeast of the Yangtze River estuary after noon involving a boat fully loaded with ore sand and with 17 crew members on board.

Rescuers rushed to the site by ship and helicopter and rescued 12 people, but there are five missing who are still being searched for.

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2005)