BEIJING -- China on Sunday handed over 17 Filipino sailors it rescued from a shipwreck near Huangyan Island to the Philippines.

On Friday, a Singapore-registered cargo ship en route from the Philippines to China had lost contact near Huangyan Island. Two of the 17 rescued sailors were confirmed dead. Four others remain missing.

At the request of the Philippine side, the China Coast Guard (CCG) at 2:43 pm Sunday successfully handed over the rescued personnel to the Philippine Coast Guard in the waters where the incident occurred.

Following the shipwreck, the CCG immediately dispatched vessels to carry out humanitarian rescue operations for the distressed crew and will continue to mobilize relevant forces for search and rescue efforts.