Five people are missing after a wooden fishing boat capsized off east China's Shandong Province, confirmed local sources.

The boat, registered in northeast China's Liaoning Province, was reported to have overturned at around 10:30 AM on Monday near Hailu Island of Rongcheng City, when nine were on board.

Four were saved by ships passing by and rushed to local hospital. They are said to be in stable condition while rescuers are still trying to locate the five others.

The ship, numbered 25042, started from Jiming Island in Rongcheng City and was heading for the city's Xixiakou port.

In another development, the body of one worker was recovered on Monday afternoon after a sand bank collapsed on Saturday near a tidal flat in east China's Zhejiang Province, according to local sources.

The victim was identified as a 41-year-old man surnamed Huang from Zhenxiong County of southwest China's Yunnan Province, said policeman Tao Xiangyong.

The accident occurred at 2:50 PM on Saturday when 12 workers were piling sand from the ocean floor to build a wharf on the tidal flat off Shipu Town of Xiangshan County, said Tao.

The sand suddenly gave way and all the workers were washed into the sea. Eight workers have been saved while three are still missing.

Investigators have blamed the heavy rains from typhoon Man-yi and an onrush of tidal water for the tragedy.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2007)