(Video coutesy of the China Coast Guard)

The China Coast Guard said it had rescued 17 Filipino crew members by 6 pm on Friday after a cargo ship capsized in the South China Sea. Fifteen of those rescued were in stable condition, while two were confirmed dead.

In a statement posted on its official WeChat account on Friday, the coast guard said search and rescue operations were continuing.

According to the statement, the coast guard received a report at 1:34 am Friday from the Sansha maritime search and rescue center in Hainan province that a foreign cargo ship had capsized about 55 nautical miles northwest of Huangyan Island.

The vessel was carrying 21 Filipino crew members, the statement said. The coast guard immediately dispatched two ships to the area to conduct search and rescue operations.

The coast guard said it would continue rescue efforts in the waters where the incident occurred and is providing the rescued crew members with food, medical checkups and places to rest to ensure their safety.