Beijing, Aug 17 (IANS) Seven people died and another two were missing after a ship sank off the coast of China's Shandong province, maritime rescue authorities said on Saturday.

The accident happened around 5.55 p.m. on Friday when a ship from the Hebei province was hit by gale and sank near the port of the city of Rizhao, Xinhua news agency reported.

Seven bodies were found on Saturday and the rescue team was still searching for the missing ones.

The wind speed was up to 50 metres per second on the water when the accident happened, authorities said.

--IANS soni/