GUANGZHOU - Eighteen sailors from Myanmar, Indonesia and the Republic of Korea were successfully rescued Tuesday by Chinese rescuers in the sea off Shanwei in southern Guangdong province.

A cargo ship with 18 sailors on board, on its way from the Republic of Korea to Zhuhai city in Guangdong province, lost power and was about to sink in the sea off Shanwei city at 1:04 pm, said a spokesman for the municipal border forces.

Seven soldiers accompanied by local fishermen rushed to the site after receiving the report, and found the ship leaning to the sea in storms, according to the spokesman.

After a rescue lasting one hour, all 18 sailors - 10 from Myanmar, four from Indonesia and four from the Republic of Korea - had been safely taken off the sinking ship, the spokesman said.

All the sailors had been taken ashore at 2:40 pm, he said.