Hundreds missing as cruise ship carrying over 450 capsizes in China

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hundreds of people are missing after a cruise ship carrying more than 450 people capsized in a storm on the Yangtze River in China's southern Hubei province, state media said, according to BBC News.

The boat reportedly did not send out an SOS signal before sinking.

Media reports say several people who had swum to shore alerted the police with the help of fishermen. Xinhua news agency said rescuers have heard sounds coming from the upturned boat. At least one person is dead.

Only about 10 people have been rescued so far, and some with minor injuries have been taken to hospital. Rescue work has been hampered by strong winds and heavy rain.

Hundreds of soldiers have been dispatched, and a high-powered salvage ship is on the way to pull the boat upright, reported China Central Television (CCTV).

Premier Li Keqiang is also travelling to the scene. He has ordered a team from the state council to lead the search and rescue operation.

The four-tier Dongfangzhixing - or Eastern Star - had been carrying 405 Chinese passengers, five travel agency employees and 47 crew members. It was travelling from the eastern city of Nanjing to Chongqing in the south-west - a journey of at least 1,500km (930 miles) - when it sank in the Damazhou section of the Yangtze in Jianli county at about 21:30 local time on Monday, June 1 evening (13:30 GMT).

The water there is about 15m (50ft) deep.

The captain and the chief engineer were among those rescued. They were quoted as saying that the ship had been caught in a cyclone and sank within minutes. Many people were reportedly asleep at the time.

Most of those on board were tourists aged around 50 to 80 on a tour organized by Shanghai company Xiehe Travel.