Chinese maritime rescuers saved 23,555 people in 2010, a marine aid official said Monday.

The success ratio for search and rescue activities reached 96.1 percent, Chen Aiping, executive deputy director at the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center, said at a press conference.

Chen said maritime rescue organizations of various levels undertook 2,218 missions last year, employing 8,095 rescue vessels and 345 planes.

Of the 2,348 vessels that received help, 1,865 were successfully saved, with 23,555 of the 24,513 people aboard the vessels rescued.