Replica of ancient junk destroyed just as Pacific voyage was ending

A replica of an ancient Chinese junk sank in Taiwanese waters just one step away from accomplishing a trans-Pacific voyage meant to highlight the sophisticated skills of China's ancient mariners.

The Princess Taiping, built in 2007 from Ming dynasty (1368-1644) models and believed to be the only ocean-going Chinese junk before the accident, was cut in two by a bigger boat at about 1.30am yesterday, according to an organiser of the mission.

The ship's 11 crew members were rescued around 6am, said Mark Peng Hong-grong, executive director of the Chinese Maritime Development Society. One had suffered a serious neck injury. The accident took place 30 nautical miles from Suao, a small coastal town in the southern part of Taiwan's Yilan county.

The ship was sailing back from Okinawa when it was rammed by what Mr Peng said was either a cargo or oil vessel.

'The two ships were quite close to each other. Our captain had given signals to the other ship, but it suddenly changed its direction and rammed into our junk,' he said.

Put to sea last summer, the Hong Kong-registered junk had sailed across the Pacific Ocean, visiting seven ports in the United States and Asia.

The year-long voyage was to demonstrate that Chinese seafarers had the techniques and skills to make a round trip between China and the Americas centuries before Magellan and Columbus.