China - ship sinks in the river with 400 passengers

Beijing, June 2 (IANS) A passenger ship carrying more than 400 people sank on Monday night in China's Yangtze River.

The ship, named Dongfangzhixing, or Eastern Star, sank at around 9.30 p.m. in the Jianli -- Hubei province -- section of the Yangtze River, Xinhua reported.

It was headed towards south-west China's Chongqing city from Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province.

Rescue work is underway.

Chinese ferry sinks in Yangtze river with more than 400 missing – latest updates

• ‘Trapped passengers’ reportedly heard calling for help
• Five bodies recovered by rescuers
• Up to 12 survivors taken to shore
• Captain and chief engineer detained by police
• 458 were on board, most tourists aged 50 to 80

LIVE Updated 19m ago

 Rescue workers conduct a search in the Yangtze river after a ship carrying 458 people sank on Monday night. Photograph: China Stringer Network/Reuters

Claire Phipps

@claire_phipps

Tuesday 2 June 2015 06.07 BST

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• 19m agoWhat we know so far
• 1h agoFive confirmed dead; 12 survivors
• 2h agoCaptain and chief engineer detained by police
• 4h agoSurvivors: latest details
• 4h agoThe rescue effort

19m ago06:07

What we know so far

Information from China’s state-run media has been conflicting so far, but here is what we can ascertain about the sinking so far:

• More than 400 people on board the Eastern Star (or Dongfangzhixing) vessel remain missing.
• Five bodies have been recovered from the stricken ferry, which was carrying 458 people when it went down at around 9.30pm on Monday night not far from the city of Jingzhou in Hubei province.
• Rescue teams have reportedly heard trapped passengers shouting from within the upturned ship.

 In this image taken from video released by China’s CCTV, a rescue worker listens for a response as he taps on the hull of the capsized ship. Photograph: AP

• Up to 12 survivors are believed to have been rescued from the scene.
• Among them were the ship’s captain and chief engineer, who are both now in police custody.
• The ship’s captain is reported to have said that the ship was hit by a cyclone.
• The Eastern Star issued no distress call and apparently sank within two minutes.
• The Chinese premier, Li Keqiang, isheading to the scene.
• The 406 passengers on board, most aged 50 to 80, were tourists who had booked a cruise with Xiehe Travel agency. Its Shanghai offices stayed shut on Tuesday as distraught relatives of the missing gathered outside.
• Also on board were five tour guides – one of whom was reported to be among the dead – and 47 crew members.

32m ago05:55

The spot where the ship capsized is part of the Damazhou waterway section, where the river is 15m meters (50 feet) deep.

Chinese authorities said more than 50 boats and 3,000 people had been deployed for the search-and-rescue efforts, including divers and 1,000 armed police officers.