A Panamanian freighter has died on the south China sea and its 15 sailors have been saved, after nearly 40 hours of drifting, by Chinese rescuers, authorities said Thursday.

The incident took place at around 8 AM on Monday in the seawaters approximately 110 sea miles south of the Yongxing Island of the Xisha Archipelago, when the steering machine of the "VERA777" freighter suddenly broke down and the sailors sent signals for help, according to the South China Sea Rescue Bureau of China's Ministry of Communications.

The freighter, sailing from Shanghai to Singapore, had to be driven by the strong current of wind and drifted about on the sea at a speed of six sea miles per hour, the bureau said.

The bureau received the signals for help and immediately sent a rescue team at 7 PM on Monday, but it did not reach the scene until Wednesday noon due to strong wind and the long route of approximately 450 sea miles.

At around 1:30 PM, the 15 sailors were rescued and the freighter was towed by the Chinese rescue freighter to sail toward Sanya, a city in China's southernmost province of Hainan.

The ship is expected to reach Sanya Friday morning, the bureau said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2005)