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The Latest on China Boat Sinking

By on June 4, 2015

The Latest About the China Boat Sinking

More news is coming out about the tragedy of the China Cruise ship that sank on the Yangtze.

Maritime agency records show the cruise ship that capsized in the Yangtze River with more than 450 people aboard had been cited for safety violations two years ago.

The report on the city’s Maritime Safety website provided only sketchy details. Among the dozens of violations it found were practices such as failing to use the ship’s automated identification systems.

Authorities are bound to scrutinize the Eastern Star’s safety record and that of its owner, Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corp., as they investigate why the ship capsized late Monday, leaving more than 420 people unaccounted for. Police have detained the ship’s captain and chief engineer, who were among the few survivors.

Cyclone Theory in Question

China Cruise Ship Yangzte

The official Xinhua News Agency quoted the captain and chief engineer as saying the ship sank quickly after being caught in a cyclone. The Communist Party-run People’s Daily said the ship sank within two minutes. However the cyclone theory is now in question. Witnesses are now claiming it wasn’t a cyclone but strong winds.

Supposedly the ship was a grade B vessel, with a wind resistance below the official standards. Because of this, it was prone to capsizing in a tornado with wind blowing hard on it.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV says the bodies of 26 victims have been pulled from the wreckage of the ship and 14 people have survived, some of them by swimming ashore.

The vast majority of the 456 people on board remain missing. Many were elderly tourists taking in the scenic vistas of the Yangtze on a cruise from Nanjing to the southwestern city of Chongqing when the Eastern Star capsized Monday night in stormy weather.

Zhong says that the ship had lifejackets and lifeboats, but due to the sudden capsizing, there was not enough time for people to put on lifejackets or for the signals to be sent out.

Foreign Journalists Visit Wreckage

Local Communist Party officials and the Foreign Ministry have organized a visit to the wreckage site for foreign journalists.

About four dozen video and photo journalists were taken aboard a China Maritime Safety Administration ship from a launching site downriver to where the overturned hull of the Eastern Star cruise ship is visible.

The journalists, from about 100 to 200 meters away, were able to see the capsized hull jutting out of the water, as well as two large salvage ships and an orange crane that have been brought close to the site. Rescue teams in orange vests were visible, including two rescue workers standing on the hull.

The disaster has drawn considerable attention in Asia and beyond, and the tour is a way for normally reticent Chinese authorities to accommodate foreign media requests for access. Foreign journalists have otherwise been blocked from approaching the disaster site.

The Rescue Continues

AccuWeather agency says showers, thunderstorms and potentially strong winds will continue in the region over the next 24-36 hours, making rescue efforts more challenging.

The rescue is ongoing in about 15 meter (50 feet) deep water of the Yangtze River, where the Eastern Star cruise ship overturned Monday night with 456 people aboard. Thirteen bodies have been pulled so far and 14 people rescued.

Pope Offers Prayers

Pope Francis is offering his prayers for the victims of the ship sinking and their families.

During his weekly general audience Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square, Francis said he wanted to express his solidarity with all Chinese people “in this difficult moment.”

He says he is also praying for the rescue teams trying to recover survivors.

AP News