Ten fishermen were rescued on Thursday by the Yangzhou guided-missile frigate of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy after their fishing boat collided with a merchant ship in the East China Sea, an accident that left the boat tilting dangerously on the verge of sinking.
The fishing boat, registered in east China's Zhejiang Province, lost both power and electricity in the collision that happened on Thursday evening, which ruptured its hull and caused severe flooding.
Sea conditions that night were brutal. When the missile frigate Yangzhou arrived on the scene, winds were gusting and waves were churning at nearly three meters, making the rescue very perilous.
With seawater relentlessly pouring into the stricken boat, the situation grew increasingly critical. Crew members of Yangzhou quickly launched a small vessel and battled the swell to reach the fishermen. After a half-hour emergency operation, all 10 fishermen were pulled to safety in two trips.
"The sea conditions were quite rough. The small vessel kept rising and falling with the waves, and water was splashing heavily onboard, which made maneuvering difficult. Since the target was hard to spot, we constantly cross-checked its position with our mother ship. By the time we got there, the fishing boat was already tilting, and the fishermen were huddled at the stern waiting to be rescued. The moment they saw us, their faces lit up," said Zhang Guopeng, a crew member of the Yangzhou frigate.
"We were so lucky to have encountered our warship. If it hadn't been for it, no other vessel could have reached us in time -- there were no other ships around," a rescued fisherman said.
"The moment the warship came toward us, my heart felt warm. I knew we would be saved," said another rescued fisherman.
Once aboard the Yangzhou, the fishermen were given medical attention, dry clothes, hot food, and a place to rest.
"They made us ginger soup right away. Then showers, clean clothes, fried rice and dishes. The crew of the Yangzhou gave us a second life. We're deeply touched," said another rescued fisherman.
All 10 fishermen are now in good health and have safely returned home.
"'The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy serves the people' -- that's never been just an empty slogan. Ensuring the safety of people's lives and property is our bounden duty as soldiers. I believe this rescue mission has also inspired and motivated every one of us on the Yangzhou -- only by mastering our skills can we better safeguard our homeland and its people," said Shi Weilun, a crew member of the Yangzhou frigate.
PLA Navy frigate Yangzhou saves 10 fishermen from sinking boat
