Seven bodies were found on Tuesday after a cargo ship sank in the Yellow Sea near Changhai County in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Twelve people are still missing, local government said on Wednesday evening.

The cargo ship, the Liaopuyun-777, overturned while it was being unloaded at a berth at Haiyang Island at about 7:00 PM Tuesday.

All but one of the 46 people on board fell into the sea. 27 of them were rescued. The chief engineer of the ship was trapped in the vessel, where his body was eventually found. Seven crew members, including the chief engineer, were on board at the time. The other six survived.

The cargo ship was carrying passengers at the time because the ferry service between Pikou Port and Haiyang Island Port had been suspended for two days due to mechanical problems. This prompted some passengers to take the cargo ship instead as it was heading for the island, according to loaders at Pikou Port.

The ship is owned by Shunda Shipping Company based in Pulandian, Liaoning Province. It was loaded with 77.6 tons of cargo, less than its designed capacity of 95 tons.

Haiyang Island is a remote islet in Changhai County in east Dalian with about 6,000 residents.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2005)