Two bodies were found on Thursday in the search for 39 crew members missing after a Chinese fishing vessel capsized in the Indian Ocean, state media reported.

The ongoing search operation following the capsizing "found and salvaged the remains of two victims", Xinhua news agency reported.

The vessel, “Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028”, overturned in the early hours of Tuesday with 17 Chinese, 17 Indonesians and five Filipinos on board.

No details were given on the nationalities of the two bodies found on Thursday.

The Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, said Australia had dispatched three airplanes and four ships to help in the international search-and-rescue efforts.

Beijing was now seeking further help in coordination with Australian defence officials, he said.

The ship capsized within Australia's vast search-and-rescue region, the diplomat said, noting however that it was 5,000 kilometres to the west of Perth, state capital of Western Australia.

Beijing has deployed two commercial vessels to the area – the Lu Peng Yuan Yu 018 and Yuan Fu Hai – to help with the operation, broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday.

Various Chinese government departments were working with their counterparts in Australia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives to send reinforcements to help with the rescue, CCTV reported.

The Transport Ministry has also sent four tugboats to Colombo in Sri Lanka, the closest major port where rescue vessels will dock for supplies and refuelling, the broadcaster said. (AFP)
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Last updated: 2023-05-18 HKT 17:42