SEOUL, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- A South Korean cargo ship sank in the South China Sea, and seven crew members were missing, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry said 14 people had been rescued, one about noon Tuesday, nearly 20 hours after the ship sent out a distress call Monday afternoon, CNN reported.
Nearby vessels rescued six South Korean crew members and eight from Myanmar.
Hong Kong rescuers sent two helicopters and seven ships to assist with the search-and-rescue operation, and two Chinese naval vessels were heading to the scene, the Foreign Ministry said.
The cause of the sinking remained unknown.
The 15,000-ton ship had been hijacked by Somali pirates in 2008, and eight sailors were held captive for 37 days, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.
