Rescuers on Thursday rescued one crew member and are searching for the others who were on a sand barge that capsized off the coast of east China's Shandong Province on Wednesday.
Some 17-18 people were on board at the time of the accident, the survivor said, but he was not sure of the exact number.
The North China Sea Salvage Bureau received a report of an overturned seacraft off the coast of Yantai City at around 11 a.m. Wednesday and immediately sent a rescue vessel and 12 divers to the site.
Rescuers located one crew member trapped in the cabin and managed to pull him out to safety after opening a crack on the ship's bottom.
Rescuers are still searching for others who were aboard the barge at the time of the accident.
Maritime authorities have identified the shipwreck as an illegal sand barge. Further investigation of the cause was underway.
