ISTANBUL

China launched a search and rescue operation after a cargo vessel and a fishing boat collided in the central Bohai Sea early Saturday, leaving several crew members missing, according to state media.

The fishing boat capsized in the accident, the Global Times reported, though the number of casualties was not immediately confirmed.

The Emergency Management Ministry said local authorities had been ordered to carry out an “all-out” search for the missing and to investigate the cause of the collision.

A working group has been sent to the site to oversee the emergency response and ensure safety measures are enforced to prevent similar incidents.