Singapore-registered ship sinks in South China Sea with 21 Filipino crew members on board
Two crew members have died after a Singapore-registered ship sank in the South China Sea on Friday (23 Jan).
Four of them are still missing, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in a media release on the same day.
Source: Chinese Embassy Manila on Facebook
Singapore-registered ship was en route to city in south China
MPA said it was informed of the sinking of bulk carrier Devon Bay on Friday.
The vessel was en route to Yangjiang, a city in China’s southern Guangdong province, with 21 crew members on board.
They are now no longer on the ship, with search and rescue operations now ongoing. No Singaporeans were on board.
Source: Chinese Embassy Manila on Facebook
Chinese Coast Guard sends vessels to rescue crew members
In a Facebook post on Friday morning, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said the Chinese Coast Guard was alerted to the sinking at 1.34am on Friday.
The foreign cargo vessel had capsized 55 nautical miles northwest of Huangyan Dao, also known as Scarborough Shoal, an atoll in the South China Sea whose ownership is contested by China and the Philippines.
The Coast Guard dispatched two vessels to the site for search-and-rescue operations, with 13 crew members rescued so far, it added.
Source: Chinese Embassy Manila on Facebook
In a subsequent update, the Embassy revealed that military aircraft had also been deployed to conduct aerial searches over the incident area.
17 people had been rescued as of 12.30pm, it said, though two of them died.
14 others were in stable condition, with one undergoing emergency medical treatment.
Source: Chinese Embassy Manila on Facebook
The Chinese maritime authorities are deploying additional rescue teams to the site, it added.
Philippine Coast Guard sends aircraft & vessels
In a Facebook post of its own, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it had sent two aircraft and two vessels to rescue the all-Filipino crew of the vessel, which was carrying iron ore.
Its command centre also learnt from the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre that 10 of the crew members were rescued by a passing China Coast Guard vessel, it added.
The rescue was conducted in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which says that ships of all states must assist persons in distress at sea, “including while on passage along other coastal states’ maritime zones or jurisdictions”, PCG noted, adding:
The last known position of the distress vessel is within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone where all ships may pass under high seas freedom of navigation as accorded by the UNCLOS. Said freedom however does not allow law enforcement patrols by foreign vessels.
Search efforts for 4 missing crew members ongoing
Devon Bay, which was built in 2013, is owned by Singapore-based shipping company K Line, a subsidiary of Japan’s Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha.
Source: VesselFinder.com
In a statement on Friday, K-Line confirmed that efforts to find the remaining four crew members are continuing.
The company’s vessels, together with the Chinese and Philippine Coast Guards and vessels in the vicinity, are “actively engaged” in the search.
Source: Chinese Embassy Manila on Facebook
It sent its “deepest condolences” to their deceased crew members and “heartfelt sympathy” to their bereaved families.
MPA will investigate incident
MPA said it will be investigating the incident, as the vessel’s flag state.
It is in contact with the ship owner and relevant search and rescue authorities, and is providing support as required, it added.
Further updates would be forthcoming when more information is available.
Also read: S’pore-registered vessel collides with another ship in China, 2 Chinese crew members missing
S’pore-registered vessel collides with another ship in China, 2 Chinese crew members missing
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Featured image adapted from Chinese Embassy Manila on Facebook and Facebook.
