China calls on Russia to investigate ship incident

[Coventina]

Source: International Herald Tribune

BEIJING: China's Foreign Ministry urged Russia on Thursday to investigate an incident involving a Chinese ship in waters near Vladivostok that reportedly left eight sailors missing.

Russian news agencies said Russian border guards opened fire last weekend on the Chinese cargo ship as it sailed off the Russian far eastern port city, and that it later sank in a storm.

Russia's Interfax news agency said the New Star, carrying a crew of 16 sailors from China and Indonesia, was fleeing border guards in the Sea of Japan when the shooting occurred.

Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters at a regularly scheduled news conference that the ship "encountered danger" Sunday. Jiang declined to comment on the reported shooting, saying the ministry had called on Russian authorities to investigate.



Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/02/19/asia/AS-China-Russia-Ship-Shooting.php