India on Wednesday responded to a request from China to help in the search and rescue of 39 crew members aboard a Chinese fishing vessel that sank in the southern Indian Ocean region.

India’s emergency response along with that of other countries was on Thursday acknowledged by theChinese foreign ministry even as the rescue mission continues.

The Indian Navy deployed its Air Maritime Rescue assets approximately 900 nautical miles from India after the fishing vessel Lu Peng Yuan Yu 029 sank with 39 crew members from China, Indonesia and the Philippines on board.

“P8I aircraft have carried out multiple & extensive searches despite adverse weather & located multiple objects possibly belonging to the sunken vessel. As an immediate response, SAR (search and rescue) equipment was deployed at the scene by the Indian aircraft on request of PLA-N (People’s Liberation Army — Navy) ships closing the area,” the Indian Navy spokesperson tweeted.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “Countries such as Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Maldives and the Philippines have extended emergency assistance…. The Chinese government sincerely appreciates the help from those countries.”