Hundreds missing after passenger ship sinks in China's Yangtze River

[Red]

Hundreds missing after passenger ship sinks in China's Yangtze River

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/02/asia/china-yangtze-river-ship-sinking/

Rescue workers scrambled around the hulk of a sunken passenger ship Tuesday, searching for survivors, as China grappled with an unfolding disaster in the waters of the Yangtze River.

The Eastern Star capsized late Monday in stormy weather as it carried 458 passengers -- mostly senior citizens -- and crew members along a stretch of the Yangtze that winds through central China's Hubei province, authorities said.

By Tuesday night, only 15 survivors and five bodies had been recovered, state media reported, as rescuers battled darkness and rain in a desperate effort to reach those trapped inside the wreck. The survivors included the ship's captain and chief engineer, who were taken into custody for questioning.

Divers plunged into the river and rescue workers gathered along part of the vessel's upturned hull that was sticking out of the water.

They used hammers to knock on the body of the ship, which was almost completely submerged, and heard responses from inside, a state-run local newspaper reported. Welders used blowtorches in an attempt to cut the hull open.

[Red]

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y1OKOe9A9I#action=share

[Sister]

I heard on the radio they have found some survivors.

Prayers for all.

[Nut44x4]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/08/asia/china-ship-sinking/

China cruise ship disaster: 434 bodies recovered; 8 still missing
By Saeed Ahmed, CNN

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Updated 12:15 AM ET, Tue June 9, 2015

video

Their hopes have long faded, their prayers gone unanswered. Still, they wait by the banks of the Yangtze River, lighting candles and calling out the names of their loved ones.

A week ago Monday, the Eastern Star -- a passenger ship on a pleasure cruise along a stretch of the Yangtze that winds through central China's Hubei province -- went down during a storm. Four hundred and fifty six people -- mostly senior citizens -- were on board.



Only 14 survived.

By Monday, search crews had recovered 434 bodies. Eight remain missing.

It's the deadliest boat disaster in China in almost 70 years.







"I wish this was a nightmare," Guan Yuan told Xinhua, China's state-run news agency. "But nothing happens when I wake up."

Guan's parents were aboard the ship, taking their first long vacation since retiring, she said.

"My parents rarely traveled to save money for my education," she told the news agency.

Bereft of the possibility of a happy reunion, family members had hoped to be able to claim the bodies and take them home. But authorities said that they will be cremated in local funeral homes.   

So far, forensic teams using DNA to identify the victims have only made 97 matches.

[Nut44x4]

  It is obvious by now the others are dead. I am moving this.