Rescuers were searching for six Chinese fishermen on Tuesday who went missing after their boat collided with a freighter from the Republic of Korea (ROK) and sank in the East China Sea.

The fishing boat, built on Feb. 25, was on its maiden voyage when the accident occurred at 7:30 a.m. on Monday. Two of its eight-member crew were rescued by the freighter.

The boat's owner, Luo Shiliang, a villager in Yinghai Town, Jiaozhou City of Shandong, applied for a go-to-sea permit on March 16.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2008)