Two cargo ships from China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) collided on the East China Sea near Jieyang in south China's Guangdong Province early Thursday, but there is no report of casualties.

Sources with Jieyang frontier guard said it had received distress calls at 5:33 AM, saying that a Chinese ship, Haikou Jianhuashan II, was hit by a ship, Samho Family, from the ROK and lives of the 11-member crew on the Chinese ship were seriously threatened.

The frontier guard immediately organized rescue operation and found the capsized Chinese ship and the 11 crew members who were drifting on a life boat at about 6:50 AM.

To date, the crew members are in good condition, the sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2006)