Two fishermen were killed and five more were still missing after their boats capsized off the south China coast, the local maritime rescue agency said Monday.

Two fishing boats capsized Sunday in the sea off Beihai, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Zhanjiang, in neighboring Guangdong Province, the South China Sea Rescue Bureau said.

On the same day, another boat reported mechanical failure off the coast of Haikou, the southern island province of Hainan, and six fishermen aboard were in danger. The bureau rescued all six early Monday.

Strong wind generated by an unexpected cold front caused the accidents, it said.

The agency sent five rescue ships and two helicopters to help search for the five missing.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2009)