Strong typhoon winds have split a large ship in half, and 27 of its crew are thought to be dead.
The ship sank off the coast of Hong Kong when tropical storm Chaba moved through, prompting authorities to initiate a search and rescue operation to find the missing crew.
As of 5:30 p.m. (1030 GMT) on Saturday, three members of the crew of 30 have been saved thanks to the dispatch of planes and helicopters that are helping with the rescue.
Large waves pounded the sinking vessels, which had split into two halves, while one crew member was winched up to a rescue chopper in photos supplied by the Hong Kong Government Flying Service.
South of Hong Kong, the disaster happened roughly 186 miles away.
The Flying Service withheld the name and country of origin of the ship.
In a statement, it claimed that crew members were navigating challenges brought on by Severe Tropical Storm Chaba, which had gusts as high as 68 miles per hour at its peak.
Later on Saturday, the storm made landfall in the western part of the Guangdong coastline province.
Four helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft were dispatched by the Hong Kong service to aid in the rescue operation.
The National Meteorological Center’s top forecaster, Gao Shuanzhu, stated that although the typhoon is predicted to produce heavy rain, it will gradually lose strength.
With up to 24 inches of cumulative rainfall predicted in some regions, Gao stated: “The plentiful monsoon water vapour will contribute to severe downpours and massive cumulative rainfall of an extraordinary kind.”
According to Gao, areas at risk include the island province of Hainan, the east of the Guangxi autonomous region, and the west of Guangdong, where China’s typhoons typically linger. Rainstorms in these areas might result in landslides, flooding, and urban waterlogging.
On Saturday, Hainan raised its emergency response to Level II, the second-highest.
More than 400 flights to and from the cities of Haikou and Sanya were cancelled in addition to the suspension of island-wide train operations.
According to state broadcasters, the wind and rain on Chaba’s arrival caused one injury in Macau.
