TAIPEI -?One sailor is dead and 12 are missing after a Panama-registered cargo ship with 25 Chinese mainland sailors aboard capsized in the sea off southern Taiwan's Cape Eluanbi Wednesday morning, Taiwan media reported Thursday.

As of 10:30 pm Wednesday, Taiwan authorities had retrieved the body of one crew member and rescued 12, with 12 others still missing, according to the reports.

Five of the rescued sailors received medical treatment.

En route to Shandong Province from Indonesia, the Jian Fu Star freighter, loaded with 43,000 tonnes of nickel, sent a mayday signal before it capsized.

An initial investigation showed the ship sank after a ballast tank flooded amid a large swell and strong winds, coastguard authorities said.