A cargo ship with 11 aboard sank in waters off China's southeastern coast early Saturday, leaving at least eight crew members dead.

A surviving sailor is carried out of a helicopter in Quanzhou City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Feb. 18, 2012. A bulk cargo sank in the water area near Chongwu County of Quanzhou around 3:00 a.m. of local time Saturday. Eight sailors were confirmed dead and two were missing after rescuers saved one up to 1:00 p.m. Saturday of local time. [Liu Hui/Xinhua]?

A spokesman of the maritime rescue center said by noon rescuers had saved one person, recovered eight bodies, and were still searching for the remaining two missing.

The Xinyuanshun 6 cargo ship, registered in Beihai of China's Guangxi, was carrying 5,000 tonnes of pottery clay to the coastal Shandong province when it sank off the coast of Chongwu in Fujian province at about 3 a.m., the spokesman said.

The vessel might have capsized after goods slid to one side of its hold, he added.

Eleven boats and two helicopters were involved in the rescue, battling strong winds and rough seas, the spokesman said. The lone crew member rescued had been hospitalized.

Authorities are probing the cause of the sinking and have upped the alert for an oil spill.