Photo taken on Oct 29, 2011 shows the masts of the sunken ship Oriental Sunrise off Qingdao, east China's Shandong province.[Photo/CFP]

A freighter sank Friday evening following collision with another cargo ship off the coast of East China, leaving one sailor dead and another 10 missing, according to Qingdao municipal authorities.

Of the total 19 crew members aboard the sunk vessel, all believed to be nationals of Democratic People's Republic of Korea, nine were rescued, including three injured who were sent to hospital for treatment.

But one of the three injured died after an emergency operation failed to save his life and two others are still in serious condition, the spokesman said.

A total of 13 ships have been dispatched to search for the 10 missing people, he said.

The Panama-flagged freighter Oriental Sunrise sank after it collided with the another Panama-flagged cargo ship Hamburg Bridge at 7:35 p.m. Friday Beijing Time in the sea area near Qingdao in Shandong Province.