COSCO shipping crew members are searching for the crew members of the capsized fishing vessel Lupeng Yuanyu 028 at sea on May 17, 2023. Photo: VCG

As of 2 pm on Friday, 13 vessels, including three military and two commercial ships, six fishing boats and two freighters from Marshall Islands and Liberia have participated in the rescue operation for a Chinese deep-sea fishing vessel that capsized on Tuesday in the Indian Ocean, China's Ministry of Transport said.

Two bodies of missing crew members have been found as of Thursday afternoon, with China's Ministry of Transport making all-out efforts to search for the wrecked fishing vessel Lupeng Yuanyu 028.

The vessel, which was owned by Shandong Province-based Penglai Jinglu Fishery, capsized and sank about 5,000 kilometers west of Perth, Australia, early on Tuesday, with its 39 crew members missing, including 17 Chinese, 17 Indonesians and five Filipinos, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Information from the Ministry of Transport shows that the towboat sent by the ministry had arrived on Thursday at the site where the fishing vessel capsized. Australia has also arranged five aircraft to join the rescue operation. A Sri Lankan warship carrying eight divers is expected to reach the site on Saturday.

On Thursday, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian visited the Australian Maritime Safety Security (AMSA) to extend thanks for the help offered by the Australian side and also learn about the current process of the rescue operation, according to the Chinese Embassy to Australia.

Envoys and representatives from the Philippine Embassy to Australia and Indonesian Embassy to Australia also attended the Thursday meeting and thanked the AMSA's efforts to rescue their citizens.

Chinese leaders have demanded all-out efforts for the rescue of the missing crew, according to the Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday.

Local authorities from East China's Shandong Province, where the wrecked fishing vessel is registered, confirmed the same day that relevant departments are coordinating all forces to organize the search and rescue mission.

Global Times