SIHANOUKVILLE: The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration has said that rescue teams still continue to search for 23 missing Chinese nationals who were on a boat that sunk in Sihanoukville waters.

According to the provincial administration, a boat sunk somewhere in the waters between Poysareung and Koh Tang in Sihanoukville at around 10:30 am on Thursday, 22 September.

"After receiving the information, the Water Border Police Department led 16 units of the repression unit and two boats to conduct a search and rescue,” said the provincial administration.

After questioning a man named Chengui Sheng from Fujian Province, China who was on the boat when it sunk, authorities found out that there were a total of 41 Chinese nationals on the boat, including three women. So far, 18 have been rescued, but 23 are still missing.

All 18 recued are men and are currently being held at Battalion 240 in Koh Rong for further questioning.

Unit forces also detained two Cambodians riding another boat nearby, and handed them over to the Police Inspectorate of Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk Province for questioning according to the legal procedure.

The search operation for the 23 missing Chinese nationals has been carried out at sea at the location of the boat’s sinking, as well as in the surrounding geographical area.

The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration has also announced a two million riel (roughly US $500) reward for any rescue team or fishing boat that successfully rescues one of the missing victims.