![Ship sinks off Taiwan, 9 sailors missing as typhoon heads towards China](https://www.berlinertageblatt.de/media/shared/articles/87/21/05/Ship-sinks-off-Taiwan--9-sailors-mi-228174.jpg)
-
Biden team, end in sight, keeps hope on Gaza truce despite setbacks
-
Sabalenka dedicates US Open to family 'who never gave up' on dream
-
Venezuela takes diplomatic jab at Brazil in spat over election
-
Multiple people shot along highway in US state of Kentucky
-
'Super proud' Sabalenka downs Pegula to win US Open thriller
-
In Papua New Guinea, Pope holds mass 'at the edge of the world'
-
Hewett stays positive for wheelchair tennis despite agonising defeat
-
Three things on US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka
-
Sabalenka downs Pegula to win US Open thriller
-
USA men land Paralympic basketball three-peat, Jiang takes 7th swim gold
-
USA slump to first home defeat against Canada in 67 years
-
Argentina hand Australia record 67-27 loss in Rugby Championship
-
England impress on Carsley bow, Germany, Dutch hit five
-
AFP photographer wins top prize for Gaza coverage
-
No Love for Packers for three weeks after ligament sprain: reports
-
Pedro Almodovar: chronicler of modern Spain crowned in Venice
-
Almodovar wins top Venice prize for end-of-life film
-
Trump sounds dark tone at rally, Harris 'ready' for debate
-
Wirtz and Musiala dazzle to kick-start new Germany era
-
Chinese teenager takes 7th gold of Paris Paralympics
-
England interim boss Carsley 'respects' divided opinions over anthem
-
Neuville moves to the front in the Acropolis Rally
-
Garfield, Pugh charm Toronto in new romance 'We Live in Time'
-
21 boys confirmed dead in Kenya school inferno
-
Over 100,000 protest in France against new prime minister
-
Golden 30 minutes takes China to swimming Paralympics swimming domination
-
Green leads Australia to T20 series sweep of Scotland
-
Nigeria, Cameroon win afer chaotic AFCON build-ups
-
Nicole Kidman: A-lister, cinematic chameleon, wins in Venice
-
'I had to prove myself', says Kolisi after win against All Blacks
-
Almodovar wins top prize at Venice film festival
-
Grealish savours England redemption after 'worst summer'
-
Carsley makes flying start as England interim boss in win over Ireland
-
Springboks close on Rugby Championship with storming win over All Blacks
-
Sri Lanka's De Silva and Kamindu Mendis defy England in third Test
-
Farrell's Racing lose on opening day of Top 14
-
Ireland and UK to 'reset' relations as Starmer visits Dublin
-
Dunbar takes second Vuelta stage as Roglic closes in on victory
-
Fritz eyes US Open glory to end 21 years of American hurt
-
Thousands protest in France against new prime minister
-
Death toll from Kenya school blaze rises to 21
-
Brazil's right rallies for 'freedom' after X suspended
-
Trump to hold rally in swing state, Harris preps for debate
-
Stone at the double as Sri Lanka collapse against England in third Test
-
French tennis player takes legal action over online abuse
-
Italy backs Kyiv's 'legitimate defence' as Zelensky presses allies
-
The Body Shop rescued from administration after deal
-
Martin roars to victory in San Marino sprint, extends MotoGP lead
-
Smoke and screams: The horror of Kenya's school dorm inferno
-
MotoGP leader Martin roars to victory in San Marino sprint
![Ship sinks off Taiwan, 9 sailors missing as typhoon heads towards China](https://www.berlinertageblatt.de/media/shared/articles/87/21/05/Ship-sinks-off-Taiwan--9-sailors-mi-228174.jpg)
Ship sinks off Taiwan, 9 sailors missing as typhoon heads towards China
Typhoon Gaemi swept towards southern China on Thursday after killing at least two people in Taiwan, with nine sailors missing after their cargo ship sank in stormy weather.
The typhoon -- the strongest to hit Taiwan in eight years -- had already forced authorities on the island to shutter schools and offices, suspend the stock market and evacuate thousands of people.
On its path to Taiwan, Gaemi also exacerbated the seasonal rains in the Philippines, triggering flooding and landslides that killed six, and a tanker carrying 1.4 million litres of oil sank off Manila on Thursday with authorities racing to contain a spill.
By Thursday morning, the typhoon had weakened and "the centre has moved out to sea" at around 4:20 am (2020 GMT), said Taiwan's weather authorities.
Taiwan's fire agency said it received a report early Thursday that a cargo ship had sunk off the island's southern coast, forcing its nine Myanmar crew members to abandon ship in life jackets.
"They fell into the sea and were floating there," said Hsiao Huan-chang, head of the fire agency, adding that rescuers contacted a nearby Taiwanese cargo ship to assist them.
Hsiao did not specify when the Tanzania-flagged ship sank, but said the rescue vessel arrived in the area at 8:35 am (0035 GMT).
"(When the Taiwanese ship arrived) the visibility at the scene was very low and the winds were too strong," he told reporters.
"When the weather permits, we will immediately dispatch ships or helicopters to rescue but at the moment it is not possible."
Another official at the agency told AFP after the briefing that the sailors were missing.
Gaemi made landfall in Taiwan on Wednesday night with sustained wind speeds of 190 kilometres (118 miles) per hour at its peak.
More than 200 people were injured and at least two were confirmed killed -- a motorist in the southern Kaohsiung city was crushed by a tree, and a woman in eastern Hualien died after part of a building fell on her.
Several cities, including Taipei, announced a second consecutive day off, with schools, government offices and the stock market closed, while hundreds of domestic and international flights were cancelled.
In the south, Kaohsiung residents saw their streets transformed into rivers, with some households flooded with rainwater.
- 'Mountain torrents' -
The storm is now tracking towards China's Fujian province, which suspended all train services and put in place the second-highest flood warning alert level.
The national water resources ministry warned the day before that extremely heavy rains were expected to swell rivers and lakes in Fujian and the neighbouring province of Zhejiang.
In the Philippines, clean-up efforts were under way Thursday in the capital Manila as residents and business owners dumped soaked mattresses, bags of rubbish and other debris on muddy streets.
Street vendor Zenaida Cuerda, 55, said the food she had been selling had washed away and her house in Manila was flooded.
"All my capital is gone," Cuerda told AFP. "I have nothing now, that's my only livelihood."
The region sees frequent tropical storms from July to October, but experts say climate change has increased their intensity, leading to heavy rains, flash floods and strong gusts.
burs-dhc/sco
S.Keller--BTB