While the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Authority had airlifted three people to safety on Saturday, hopes of finding other survivors were fading after the agency said on Sunday night that the chance of that happening was “very, very small”. However, a few hours later, southern China’s Guangdong Maritime Search and Rescue Center said it had rescued a fourth crew member — described as being in “normal physical condition.” The finding of the fourth crew member followed the resumption of search operations on Sunday. The search had been called off on Saturday night due to bad weather conditions that made it too dangerous for rescue teams, according to the Hong Kong Marine Department. “The chances of (any other crew) being found alive are very, very small,” Hong Kong government flight services controller West Wu Wai-hung told a news conference on Sunday after the agency rescued the three crew. of. “We would like to go out our hearts to these families of the missing sailors and workers and I hope we find some survivors, it will be a miracle if we do.” The next day, the Guangzhou Naval Base confirmed that a fourth crew member — described as a deckhand — had been rescued alive and that arrangements were being made to bring the person to shore. The three crew members who were rescued by Hong Kong Airlines have been described as being in a stable condition and are being treated at North Lantau Hospital. The 240-meter vessel — described by Chinese authorities as a “floating crane” — was being used to help build a wind farm off the coast of southern China when Champa struck. Hong Kong’s civil aviation authority said as of Sunday it had deployed three fixed-wing aircraft, six helicopters and 36 rescuers to the search operation, which spanned 1,300 km (807 miles). The Guangdong Maritime Search and Rescue Center said it deployed seven rescue vessels, as well as rescue, commercial and coast guard vessels. The center said it had also coordinated with China Southern Airlines to send rescue helicopters.
