Cargo Ship Snaps In Half In Typhoon Winds As 27 Crew Feared Dead

A search is underway for the missing crew members of a cargo ship that split in two amid strong typhoon winds.

A video has been released by Honk Kong's Government Flying Service showing the huge vessel as it submerges into the South China Sea, over 180 miles off the coast of the territory.

In a separate clip, the helicopter team can be seen rescuing one of the crew members after the ship was battered by winds from the tropical storm Chaba.

While Reuters reports that three people were saved, a further 27 who were aboard the craft are yet to be located, with concerns they have died amid the wreckage.

Authorities have launched a rescue mission to save the missing crew, although harsh weather conditions are hampering efforts.

Hong Kong Flying Service said in a statement that those on board had been experiencing difficulties earlier on in the journey by storm Chaba, which brought winds of up to 68 miles per hour.

A clip of the ship sinking was shared by Twitter page Brave Spirit, alongside the following description: "A ship carrying 30 people has been wrecked in the South China Sea, 160 miles from Hong Kong.

"After the incident, 3 people were rescued, the search for the rest of the people continues. The ship broke into two halves and completely sank."

The governmental unit didn't reveal the name or origin of the cargo vessel, but it did confirm that two fixed-wing aircraft and four helicopters had been sent out to assist in the rescue efforts.

Storm Chaba has been impacting areas of southern China as it intensifies on its path towards the mainland.

Hong Kong authorities sent out a warning on Thursday (30 June), while various Chinese cities raised the alarm amid its first typhoon of the year.

Forecasts suggest that the typhoon will make landfall over southern Guangdong Province this afternoon (2 July) before weakening into a tropical storm.

That being said, Gao Shuanzhu – chief forecaster for the National Meteorological Center – warned that the extreme weather will continue to cause disruption.

"The abundant monsoon water vapour will lead to intense downpours and huge cumulative rainfall of an extreme nature," he explained.

Shuanzhu added that the areas at risk include the west of China's coastal province of Guangdong, as well as the east of the Guangxi autonomous region and the southernmost province of Hainan.

Gusty winds and heavy rain are also expected to hit areas in Thailand.

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