Two dead in knife attack aboard Chinese ship in Philippines

A members of the Philippines Coast Guard with an assault rifles takes part in an exercise in Manila Bay on October 16, 2005. - AFP

PHILIPPINES - A crewman on a Chinese vessel in Philippine waters has killed two of his colleagues with a knife, a coast guard official said Sunday.

One other crew member was wounded in the attack aboard the Liberian-flagged Quing May and has been taken to hospital.

The suspect is believed to still be hiding aboard the massive transport ship, which is docked at the southern port city of Zamboanga, said regional coast guard chief Lieutenant Jimmy Verbo.

The vessel, operated by China's Foremost group, was transporting iron ore from Australia to China when one crewman attacked the others with a knife on Saturday while they were off the southern Philippine islands of Jolo, said Verbo.

Two ship's officers were killed and an engineer was wounded, prompting the captain to call the coast guard for help, he said.

The motive for the attack is still unclear. - AFP