Vietnamese freighter goes down off China

FANGCHENG, China, March 14 (UPI) -- A Vietnamese freighter carrying coal sank in a storm in the South China Sea, killing at least three of the seven-member crew, Chinese officials said Saturday.

The South China Rescue Bureau said the ship was reported to be in difficulties Friday evening and had sunk by 9:30 p.m., Xinhua, the official Chinese government news agency, said. Three bodies were recovered by noon Saturday, and four crew members remained missing.

The vessel was more than 20 miles southwest of the port of Fangcheng when it went down. The rescue bureau dispatched a boat to the area Friday night and a helicopter Saturday morning.