Nine fishermen are missing after their boat sank off Taizhou City in China's Zhejiang Province on Wednesday night, a provincial maritime bureau source said on Thursday.

It was the fifth boat capsize in the eastern province in a single week. More than 20 people were currently missing. As of Thursday, there were no reports of survivors, according to the maritime bureau.

The 120-ton trawler carrying nine people and registered in Zhejiang crashed with an unknown boat at 11:45 p.m. and sank immediately, according to the bureau. The other boat fled the scene.

The capsized boat, whose last known position was 28 degrees north and 122 degrees east, set out from Zhoushan City.

Donghai (East China Sea) branch of the State Oceanic Administration received an emergency call around 2:00 a.m. to search for the missing fishermen and the boat which had escaped from the scene.

No. 3826 oceanic administration helicopter took off from the base in Zhoushan City at 5:10 a.m. and found the boat that had fled the scene at 29 degrees north and 123 degrees east, according to the branch on Thursday.

The cargo ship "Jiaxing" has been taken to the Xiashimen anchorage ground for investigation, it said.

The Zhejiang Provincial Maritime Rescue Center has called on 14 fishing boats to search for the missing. Another eight ships were currently making their way to the area to assist.

Investigations into the causes of the accidents have begun. The provincial maritime authorities said inadequate operating procedures, a lack of qualified crew and poor safety awareness were all factors.

(Xinhua News Agency February 29, 2008)