2014 Po Toi Island ship collision

On 5 May 2014, the cargo ship Zhong Xing 2 and the container ship MOL Motivator collided off Po Toi Island near Hong Kong, resulting in Zhong Xing 2 sinking. All but one of Zhong Xing 2′s 12-man crew were left missing and presumed dead; a rescue operation was conducted by Chinese authorities, and a fishing vessel rescued one man, Zhong Xing 2′s sole survivor.

2014 Po Toi Island ship collision

Po Toi Island 2014 Po Toi Island ship collision (Hong Kong)
Date	5 May 2014
Missing	11
Property damage	Cargo ship sunk

Background

The accident involved the 300 metres (980 ft)[1] 79,400 ton[2] Mitsui O.S.K. Lines container ship MOL Motivator, registered in the Marshall Islands[1] with a crew of 24,[3] and the 97-metre (318 ft) long[1] Chinese ship Zhong Xing 2, carrying a cargo of cement with 12 crew.[4] MOL Motivator was travelling from Hong Kong to Yantian,[2] while Zhong Xing 2 was travelling from Hebei to Haikou.[5]

Accident

The collision occurred around 2:30 local time on the morning of 5 May, 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) to the southwest of Po Toi Island.[1] Poor visibility has been blamed for the collision, after heavy rain fell through the night;[1] and Hong Kong experienced a "powerful" thunderstorm.[3] Heavy rainfall and lightning may have caused problems with the ships' radars.[3]

Rescue efforts

A fishing vessel passing by rescued a man in his forties[3][1] from mainland China;[3] 25 minutes later,[6] he was taken to Ruttonjee Hospital, Wan Chai, where he was treated for minor scratches.[1]

A rescue attempt spanning naval and aerial searching was launched, co-ordinated by the Guangdong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre.[1] A fixed-wing aeroplane; seven Hong Kong Marine Police vessels; three fireboats; two diving vessels; and a helicopter belonging to the Government Flying Service of Hong Kong;[1] more than ten Chinese vessels;[7] and three Chinese helicopters;[8] were sent in search of the missing vessel. The crew of a helicopter observed an oil slick and floating debris, but no survivors.[1] It is considered possible that the ship sank with only one survivor, the other eleven men trapped on board,[1] and they are "feared dead".[8]

References

1. Lo, Clifford (5 May 2014). "Eleven crewmen missing after cargo vessel sinks in collision with container ship". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
2. Woodhouse, Alice (5 May 2014). "Eleven crew missing after ships collide off Hong Kong". Reuters. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
3. Mullany, Gerry; Bradsher, Keith (5 May 2014). "11 Missing After Cargo Ships Collide Near Hong Kong". New York Times. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
4. Campbell, Charlie (5 May 2014). "11 Missing as Cargo Ship Sinks Off Hong Kong". Time. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
5. Chiu, Joanne (5 May 2014). "11 Missing After Cargo Ship Sinks Near Hong Kong". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
6. "11 missing as cargo ship sinks near Hong Kong". Rakyat Post. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
7. Wang, Yamei (5 May 2014). "Guangdong joins missing crew rescue mission". Xinhuanet. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
8. "Hong Kong harbour crash: 11 feared dead as cargo ship sinks following collision". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.