SHANGHAI, May 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese sailor has been found alive after being trapped in a sunken ship for almost 20 hours in the East China Sea.

    Tao Ernian, 25, was rescued from the wreck near the Yangtze River estuary by divers on Monday evening, said Zhang Jianxin, a director with the East China Sea Salvage Bureau on Tuesday.

    Tao and 10 colleagues were on the cargo ship "Zhedaiyun 74219",which was loaded with 700 tons of stone, on Sunday when the vessel-- 50.6 meters long and 10 meters wide -- began to list in strong winds, said Zhang.

    Tao and his crewmates tried to escape by jumping into a lifeboat, but the ship overturned at that time with the lifeboat underneath it. Tao was trapped in an air pocket between the boat and the ship's cabin.

    His colleagues fell into the water. Five were rescued by a passing boat, and the other five remain missing.

    The salvage bureau sent out divers, ships and a helicopter to search for the missing sailors at about 11:00 p.m. on Sunday.

    Three divers, carrying a diving suit, found the sunken ship 15 meters below the waves. They helped Tao put on the suit and brought him to the surface at 6:52 p.m. on Monday.

    He was uninjured and is reported to be recovering quickly from his ordeal.

    The helicopter is continuing to search for the other five missing sailors.