61 Sailors Missing Off Chinese Coast

Two shipping accidents off eastern China's Fujian province have left 61 sailors missing, official media reported Friday.

All 37 sailors aboard a Panamanian-flagged freighter were missing after it sank suddenly Thursday evening amid strong waves about three miles from Pingtan island in Fujian province, the Xinhua News Agency and state television reported.

Within hours, a Chinese fishing boat with 27 people on board sank in the same area, the reports said. Three sailors were rescued by another vessel but the others were still missing, they said.

Rescue efforts are continuing.