At least 28 sailors had been rescued while three remained missing Friday night as tropical storm Bilis continued to churn up heavy waves along China's coast.

 

The missing seamen were on a Russian ship that foundered in the sea near Zhejiang Province, the Shanghai-based Donghai Salvage Bureau said Friday. Eight of their shipmates were saved by passing ships.

 

On Friday morning, the Chinese sea rescue authority saved 15 sailors from Germany, Poland and the Philippines who were on a Cyprus-registered vessel, the Dollart Gas, that was carrying hazardous chemicals.

 

The ship's engines failed, causing the vessel to founder in the Taiwan Strait near Fujian Province in swells that were 5 to 6 meters high.

 

After a 20-hour struggle in bad weather, the rescuers managed to tie onto the craft and tow it near Taiwan's coast, said salvage bureau officials.

 

In an earlier incident, five Chinese sailors were saved after their vessel was towed out of trouble by a rescue ship near Fujian Province Thursday morning.

 

(Shanghai Daily July 15, 2006)