62 rescued Chinese mainland fishermen return, seven still missing

FUZHOU, Jan. 6 -- Sixty-two rescued Chinese mainland fishermen returned to Fujian Province Sunday after their vessel collided with a cargo ship in the sea near Keelung, Taiwan early Saturday and sank.

The Taiwan-registered vessel with 71 people aboard sank after being hit by a Singapore-registered cargo ship near Keelung in the early hours of Saturday. All the 71, including two Taiwanese sailors and 69 mainland fishermen, were thrown into the water.

Taiwan's patrolling vessels rescued 64, but seven other mainland fishermen were missing.

The 62 rescued mainland fishermen were transferred to a mainland vessel early Sunday in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan maritime authorities are still searching the missing fishermen.