At least one fisherman was killed and five others were rescued today after a fishing vessel caught fire off the coast of southern China's Hainan province.
Fire engulfed the 30-tonne wooden fishing vessel, six nautical miles off the coast of Wenchang in northeastern Hainan, country's island province.
One fisherman was reportedly trapped in the engine cabin and the rest five abandoned the vessel in time to jump into the sea, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
By the time maritime police arrived at the spot, most of the boat's part had been damaged. The charred boat later sank.
The police rescued five persons and recovered one charred body.
The fishermen were allegedly engaged in illegal fishing as their boat was not registered with local fishery authorities, according to the Wenchang Oceanic and Fishery Department.
