Eight people aboard a fishing boat went missing after it collided with a Panamanian container ship off the southwestern coast of south China's Hainan Province around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the provincial maritime search and rescue center said.

The fishing boat bears the name "Yuenan Aoyu 36062" and the Panamanian container ship "SITC DANANG." The collision occurred 22 nautical miles southwest of Yinggehai town in Ledong, sinking the fishing boat.

As of 5:30 p.m., 21 ships and five aircraft have been conducting water and air searches at the scene. Three professional divers have arrived to join the rescue mission. None of the missing people have been found so far.

An investigation into the cause of the collision is underway.

(Cover: Ships conduct underwater searches at the scene of a fishing boat collision off the southwestern coast of south China's Hainan Province. /CMG)