VIDEO: Dramatic rescue as ship sinks in South China Sea

More than two dozen crew members are unaccounted for after their ship broke in two during a typhoon in the South China Sea on Saturday (2July22).

Planes and helicopters were sent to help with the rescue.

Images from the Hong Kong Government Flying Service show one crew member being winched up to a rescue helicopter.

The Flying Service says the engineering vessel, which was 160 nautical miles south-west of Hong Kong, ‘suffered substantial damage and broke into two pieces’ and the 30-member crew abandoned ship.

It says crew members were were caught by tropical storm Chaba, with maximum winds of 110 km/h (68mph).

The three survivors say other crew members might have been swept away by waves before the first helicopter arrived.

According to The Express government rescue authorities say the chances of finding the 27 outstanding crew members is ‘very slim’.

However, the search for those missing is continuing. The site of the incident is surrounded by about 100 wind turbines which when combined with wind gusts reaching up to 140 km per hour, have caused a struggle for rescuers.