2 dead as India joins efforts to locate missing Chinese vessel, 37 crew

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Two people have been confirmed dead while a search for another 37 crew is still ongoing after a Chinese deep-sea fishing vessel capsized in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, officials said.

Besides other neighboring nations, Indian maritime patrols also joined the search and rescue operation, according to Indian officials.

China's Ministry of Transport said Thursday that two people had died in the incident, Xinhua News reported.

The ministry said 10 vessels, including three Chinese navy ships and one foreign ship, are carrying out on-site search and rescue work, adding: "More ships will arrive."

In a statement, the Indian Navy on Thursday said it deployed its air assets for search and rescue operations after the vessel sank in the Indian Ocean this week with 39 crew members on board.

The deep-sea Chinese fishing vessel capsized before dawn on Tuesday in the Indian Ocean at around 3 a.m. Beijing time (1900GMT Monday).

The crew included 17 Chinese nationals, 17 Indonesians, and five Filipinos.

The Indian Navy said its P8I aircraft carried out multiple and extensive searches despite adverse weather and located multiple objects possibly belonging to the sunken vessel.

Beijing had contacted Australia, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other countries to join the search and rescue operations.