FUZHOU - Six people went missing after a cargo ship sank in sea area off East China's Fujian province, local authorities said Wednesday.

Early Wednesday morning, 11 crew members aboard the cargo ship fell into the water 1.8 nautical miles off the coast of Tangyu Island of Fuzhou city.

The local maritime search and rescue center received report of the accident at 6:30 am.

As of 4 pm, five people had been rescued and six others remained missing.

Ships and helicopters are searching for the missing.