Chinese divers have explored the sunken South Korean ship "Golden Rose" that sank off the east China coast a week ago, but found no trace of the crew.

Divers from the Ministry of Communications' salvage arm explored the sunken ship Sunday afternoon and entered the cabin, a ministry spokesman told Xinhua.

The first diver went underwater at 4:41 p.m. He touched the ship's mast but failed to open the door of the wheelhouse due to rapids.

A second diver swam to the sunken ship later with an underwater video recorder. He was able to confirm that the vessel was the "Golden Rose," and filmed the inside of the wheelhouse.

In his recording, the wheelhouse was small and noticeably damaged. A South Korean clock reads 7:23, which experts say may not be the time when the collision occurred considering the outside pressure.

Another two divers followed but all of them found no traces of the missing sailors. They tied ropes to the cabin and the wheelhouse to facilitate the next day's search operation.

The divers will continue to search the cabin and the seabed for signs of the missing sailors at 5 a.m. on Monday, according to the salvage headquarters.

The "Golden Rose" -- loaded with 5,900 tons of steel -- reportedly sank at around 3:00 a.m. last Saturday off the coast near Yantai in heavy fog after colliding with the "Jinsheng,” a Chinese container ship operated by Shandong Lufeng Shipping Company Ltd.

Sixteen sailors from the "Golden Rose" -- eight South Korea nationals, seven from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia -- are missing more than a week after the accident.

More than 300 Chinese ships and three aircraft, as well as 29 divers and a diving vessel, have been taking part in the search for the missing sailors; China has also invited South Korea to send rescue boats and coast guard vessels.

Searchers earlier found two life rafts, four life rings, a wooden oar, traces of fuel oil and other debris from the "Golden Rose," but no sign of the crew.

(Xinhua News Agency May 21, 2007)