A handout photograph released on Nov. 13, shows a Chinese seaman being rescued by the Taiwan Coastguards in the sea near Lanyu Island, 47 miles off Taiwan's southeast coast on Nov.11. A search was launched off southern Japan for 20 Chinese seamen from a cargo ship that went missing on Thursday, with rescuers from Japan, China and Taiwan taking part. It was unclear what happened to the ship, the 17,000 ton Nasco Diamond, but empty rafts and oil slicks were seen near where the crew was rescued, about 210 miles south of Iriomote island, an official said.

An oil-slicked Chinese crew member from a cargo ship is rescued by a Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel in the sea near Japan's southern island of Iriomote on Nov. 11.

A Japan Coast Guard crew member rescues an oil-slicked Chinese crew member from a cargo ship cast off in the sea near Japan's southern island of Iriomote on Nov. 11.

A handout photograph released on November 13, 2010 shows a Chinese seaman being rescued by Taiwan Coastguards in the sea near Lanyu Island on Nov. 11.

A handout photograph released on Nov. 13, shows a Chinese seaman receiving water from a Taiwan Coastguard in the sea near Lanyu Island, off Taiwan's southeast coast, on Nov. 11.