Rescuers are trying to reach another five missing crew of the ill-fated ship.
Twelve crew members went missing early yesterday after a bulk ship carrying 5,000 tonnes of sand sank in the sea near the Pearl River estuary following a collision with another vessel.
Huang Mutan, deputy head of Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration, said that the rescued seven were taken to a hospital, where one person is in the ICU while the condition of other six are said to be stable.
The rescue work is ongoing, but it has been hampered by the rising tide since 5 pm (local time), authorities said.
About 300 people, including more than 20 divers, are involved in the search and rescue operation.
The two ships were registered in the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Fujian.
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