26 seamen rescued from sinking cargo

Twenty-six Chinese seamen were rescued from a cargo ship that was sinking off the northern coast of the Philippines, a Chinese embassy official here said on February 18.

The Panama-registered cargo, with 28 crewmembers on board, started to sink near the coast of Ilocos Norte province on February 17 night, said the official quoting sources of Chinese and Philippine marine rescue teams.

Twenty-six seamen were quickly picked up by a passing Japanese crude vessel while the captain and a technician insisted staying on the sinking cargo to rescue the goods.