A cargo ship loaded with 2,200 tons of white sugar and 12 crew members ran aground off the coast of Pingtan on the afternoon of May 16.

The ship was sailing from Qinzhou city of South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to Shanghai when it struck a rock in the Pingtan Strait.

All of the 12 crew members onboard have been transferred to safe areas with help from rescuers sent by the Fuzhou Marine Search and Rescue Center.

The center also called a professional team to aid in skimming efforts in order to avoid further marine pollution.

The investigation of the cause of the accident is underway.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Michael Thai