China rescues 10 Myanmar seafarers in South China Sea amid threats of Typhoon Bualoi

HAIKOU -- China successfully rescued all 10 Myanmar crew members, who faced dangers from Typhoon Bualoi, on a vessel that experienced malfunctions in waters off China's Xisha Qundao in the South China Sea, according to the Sansha maritime search and rescue center on Thursday.

On Sept 26, the center received a report that a vessel carrying 10 Myanmar seafarers had suffered a steering gear failure, about 203 kilometers southeast of Yongxing Island of the city of Sansha, China's southernmost province of Hainan, and drifted uncontrollably.

The center immediately activated an emergency response and dispatched a rescue vessel as the crew faced imminent danger from Typhoon Bualoi, the 20th typhoon of the year, which was rapidly approaching their location.

In the early hours of Sept 27, the rescue vessel arrived near the distressed one in the waters off Xisha Qundao. However, due to the approaching typhoon, towing was not yet feasible. Thus, the center decided to evacuate the crew and transferred all 10 members to the rescue vessel on the same day.

After the typhoon left, the center searched for the distressed vessel with helicopters and satellites, which had lost contact due to its power and electrical systems being shut down. On the afternoon of Sept 28, the drifting vessel was located in waters near Yongxing Island after 36 hours of search efforts.

On Sept 29, a rescue helicopter returned the crew to their vessel and China's rescue vessel began towing. The distressed ship was subsequently handed over to the owner's tugboat on the morning of Oct 1, and arrived at its destination, Da Nang port of Vietnam, at around 2:30 pm Thursday, according to the center.

According to the Sansha Maritime Safety Administration, the rescue operation safeguarded the lives of the crew and prevented potential marine environmental pollution. In recent years, China has continuously enhanced its integrated maritime and aerial emergency response system in the South China Sea, providing reliable support for vessels from various countries.