Seventy-seven people were saved and three went missing when a fishing boat carrying 80 caught fire early Thursday on the Yellow Sea off east China's Shandong Province, the local maritime authorities said.

The boat from northeast China's Liaoning Province was found in flames at 2:00 AM, about 30 nautical miles off Chengshantou, Rongcheng city, Shandong Provincial Maritime Safety Administration told Xinhua.

The maritime traffic management center in Chengshantou immediately sought help from all the five vessels that were seen on the nautical radar display to be sailing close to the site.

The center also sent four tugboats to the rescue operation, and sent signals calling on more passing vessels to join in.

By 3:10 AM, the fire had devoured the entire cabin. Three sailors fell into the water when all the 80 people on board were waiting for help on the deck.

The fire was brought under control at 4:50 AM, but a fourth sailor was found missing.

By midday, only one of the four missing sailors has been rescued. The survivors are on their way to the coastal city of Weihai, where medical workers are ready to treat the injured.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2006)