Four missing after vessel sinks in east China

Four people are missing after a sand barge sank in east China's Shandong province on Wednesday night, according to local maritime authorities.

The accident occurred at around 9 pm in the waters near Yantai city. The vessel was en travelling to Zhejiang Province from Liaoning Province with eight crewmembers, according to the city's maritime safety administration.

Three hours after it sank, a rescue vessel dispatched by the North China Sea Salvage Bureau saved four living crew members from the water amid strong wind and waves.

A helicopter and two rescue vessels are searching for the four missing.