GUANGZHOU — 25 October 2025. Chinese maritime officials said a search-and-rescue (SAR) operation is underway for two missing seafarers after the Chinese bulker HAILI 5 sank following a collision with the WAN HAI A17 in the Lingding Channel of the Pearl River Estuary on Saturday evening. Authorities reported that 13 crew members were rescued from the water, and vessel traffic was temporarily suspended in the area.

Wan Hai Lines said the containership immediately activated emergency procedures, including dropping lifebuoys, deploying emergency signals, and launching a rescue boat. In its statement, the company added that the ship was inbound when the ~8,000-ton bulker reportedly lost power and struck the WAN HAI A17, after which the bulker quickly sank. No injuries were reported among the 23 crew on the containership, which has been detained at anchor in the Lingding Channel pending investigation.

Additional incident summaries from maritime outlets corroborate the rescue count and detention status. Some reports describe water ingress on the bulker before it went down; the official cause remains under investigation by Chinese authorities, with Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority notified as the flag state and preparing a separate inquiry.

The WAN HAI A17 is among the carrier’s largest vessels, rated around 13,100 TEU, built by Samsung Heavy Industries and delivered in August/September 2024; the series carries Smart Ship Notation for advanced monitoring and communications.

Mariners transiting the estuary were advised to keep clear and follow VTS/patrol instructions while SAR and subsequent salvage preparations continue. Further updates are expected from the Guangzhou MSA.