Eight people reportedly missing as boat capsizes in Zheliang Province, China

At least eight people went missing after a fishing boat capsized in the sea near China's eastern Zhejiang Province Sunday night, local authorities have said.

The boat capsized about 70 nautical miles northeast of Xiangshan County, the provincial maritime search and rescue centre said.

At least eight people on-board were still missing, it said.

The maritime search and rescue centre initiated an emergency response immediately and dispatched five boats and a helicopter to search for the missing people.

Over 20 nearby fishing boats also joined the rescue operation, state-run Xinhua news agency reported Monday.

With the sea on three sides, Xiangshan has more than 600 islands and reefs. The county is less than 300-km south of Shanghai.