North Korean ship sinks near China, 17 missing

BEIJING, Dec 26 (Reuters) A North Korean cargo ship sank off the northeast coast of China today leaving 17 missing, though eight others have been rescued, the official Chinese Xinhua news agency said.

The maritime rescue centre at the coastal Chinese city of Dalian received a call mid-afternoon from another vessel saying that a ship had ''suddenly sunk'' one nautical mile ahead of it, the agency reported.

It did not say what the ship was carrying.

A helicopter and rescue ships were sent, and the search for the missing sailors was continuing, Xinhua added.

REUTERS SP RK2022