NINGBO - Six people went missing after a fishing boat capsized on Wednesday off the coast of East China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said Thursday.

The six went missing when a boat from Gaotangdao township in Xiangshan county sank at about 7 a.m. Wednesday in waters near the city of Zhoushan, said a spokesman with the county government.

There were seven people onboard when the boat sank. One was rescued by another boat that happened to pass by the ship.

Search and rescue operations are under way.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.