One person was dead and eight others went missing Saturday after a fishing boat capsized in waters off Zhoushan City in east China's Jiangsu Province, said local authorities.

Seven people were rescued, but one of them died at hospital later, according to a spokesman with the Zhoushan border defense department.

The accident happened at around 3:20 a.m. when all the 15 people aboard the boat coded "Zhedaiyu 03518" fell into the water, said the spokesman.

An Initial investigation showed the dislocation of the fishing net on the boat caused it to sink, he said.

Rescuers are searching for the eight missing, he said.