SANYA - Twenty-four tourists who had been stranded near Chenhang Island in the South China Sea were plucked to safety on Thursday by a Chinese vessel, rescue authorities said.

All the tourists, including five women, were transferred to a rescue ship dispatched by the Nanhai Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport on Thursday afternoon, from a local maritime police vessel which provided them with temporary shelter, the bureau said.

They were in good health and were expected to arrive back in Sanya, Hainan Province on Friday morning.

Due to strong gales and high waves, the tourists in a fishing vessel became stranded near Chenhang Island for four days before they were first rescued by a maritime police ship on Wednesday.