Taipei  - Taiwan's coast guard are searching for a Panamanian freighter which sent out an SOS near Taiwan during Typhoon Parma, the Taipei Rescue and Coordination Centre said Monday.

"The search for the Panamanian freighter is still going on," a duty officer at the rescue centre said by phone without giving details because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

MS EUFONIA sent out the SOS at about 5:46 pm Sunday, when it was about 74 nautical miles southwest of the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait, according to newspaper reports.

The 20,000-ton ship was carrying 14 crew members: 11 Indonesians, two Chinese and one man from Myanmar, the China Times and United Daily News said.

The Taipei Rescue and Coordination Centre dispatched a helicopter to search for MS EUFONIA. The coast guard sent out boats to join in the search, the two dailies reported.

Typhoon Parma approached Taiwan Sunday after crossing the Philippines' Luzon Island and killing at least 17 people with floods and mudslides.

The typhoon brought strong winds and heavy rain to Taiwan, but remained stationary off Taiwan's southern tip.

The Central Weather Bureau expects Parma to remain stationary in the Bashih Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines for about two days.

"After that, Parma might pick up speed if it joins forces with Typhoon Melor which is moving parallel to - but north of - Typhoon Parma," weatherman Hsieh Ming-chang said. (dpa)