More than two dozen crew members are feared dead after an industrial support ship snapped in two and sunk in the South China Sea.
Rescue planes and helicopters were sent to the scene after the vessel was caught in Storm Chaba near Hong Kong on Saturday.
At least three people from the crew of 30 were taken to safety as of 5.30pm local time (11.30am BST), rescue services said.
Authorities have launched a rescue mission to try and find the remaining 27 crew members, with two fixed-wing aircraft and four helicopters aiding rescue efforts.
Photos released by the Hong Kong Government Flying Service showed one crew member being lifted into a recue helicopter.
Some of the crew had abandoned the vessel and harsh weather conditions were hampering rescue efforts, the Hong Kong Government Flying Service said.
The accident happened about 186 miles south of Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Flying Service did not give the name or origin of the vessel.
It said in a statement that crew members were negotiating difficulties brought on by Severe Tropical Storm Chaba, which was packing maximum winds of 68 miles per hour.
The storm is expected to make landfall in the western part of the coastal province of Guangdong later Saturday.
Storm Chaba skirted the global financial hub, bringing heavy rain and wind, restricting public transport and forcing many businesses to close.
The financial hub's weather forecaster lowered the storm warning to signal No 3 on Saturday afternoon as Chaba was set to make landfall near Zhanjiang in China's Guangdong province.
Authorities in Hong Kong raised the typhoon warning on Thursday just as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the city to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China.
The Palace Museum, which was set to open on Saturday as part of celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Chinese rule, remained closed.
