BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- China has made the utmost efforts in the search and rescue operations after two vessels collided off China's east coast,a foreign ministry spokesperson said Monday in Beijing.

Rescuers found one body this morning at around 10: 30 am, spokesperson Lu Kang said at a daily press briefing.

The collision, between a Panama-registered oil tanker and a Hong Kong-registered freighter, occurred at around 8 p.m. Saturday in waters about 160 sea miles east of the Yangtze estuary.

Thirty-two crew members, including 30 Iranian nationals and two Bangladeshi nationals, are missing.

"We have sent several rescue vessels to the scene," Lu said, while expressing gratitude for other countries' assistance in the rescue mission.