Crew of 24 saved from sinking ship in west Pacific

Vessel was hauling logs to China

1/20/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS

APRA HARBOR, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard says 24 crewmembers have been rescued from a sinking cargo ship that lost power in the western Pacific Ocean.

The Guard says it received word Sunday morning that a vessel hauling logs to China was in trouble about 450 miles west of Guam.

By Sunday afternoon, the Chinese crew of the Panama-flagged Rich Forest had abandoned the 500-foot ship and boarded life rafts.

About three hours later, a bulk cargo vessel called the CS Sunshine reached the crew and safely rescued all of them.

The abandoned ship is now adrift. The Coast Guard is warning nearby ships of the navigation hazard.