Chinese Ship Sinks After Collision off Danish Coast

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 01, 2003

Chinese Ship Sinks After Collision off Danish Coast

A Chinese cargo ship sank off the Danish coast on Saturday after colliding with a Polish vessel, but its 27-member crew were rescued, the Danish news agency Ritzau reported.

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A Chinese cargo ship sank off the Danish coast on Saturday after colliding with a Polish vessel, but its 27-member crew were rescued, the Danish news agency Ritzau reported.

The freighter collided with the Cyprus-flagged ship on Saturday noon in the waters near Bornholm Island in the east of Denmark. Its bow began sinking after the accident while the Polish ship suffered little damage.

The Danish and Swedish coastguards immediately sent helicopters and salvage ships for rescue. The 27 crew members left in lifeboats.

But the efforts made by the Danish side to tow the vessel away failed. The ship sank to about 68 meters under the water in the early evening.

Before the sinking, two explosions were heard which might be caused by chemical reaction between the 66,000 tons of fertilizer aboard and sea water.

In addition, the cargo ship also carried 1,680 tons of heavy oil, 110 tons of diesel and 35 tons of lubricant.

The cause of the accident remains unclear, as it took place in a mild weather with good visibility.

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