2015-06-06 13:23:00

Chinese cruise ship death tolls rise


(Vatican Radio)  In China, at least 331 people are now known to have died when a cruise ship sank on the Yangtze River. The ship's operator has apologised.

Listen to Alastair Wanklyn's report:

Rescuers found most of the bodies inside the ship after righting it and draining the water from its decks.

The focus now is on the upper deck, which appears to have been crushed when the vessel rolled over.

Of the 456 people aboard only 14 are known to have survived.

There have been angry scenes as relatives demanded information and were shown on video being pushed around by police.

Some have been quoted saying they are effectively detained in hotels, apparently to prevent them making their grievances public.

The vice governor of Jiangsu Province has met weeping relatives and told Chinese state television that an information system for them is now being set up.

DNA tests will identify the dead.

Meanwhile, the company that operated the cruise on the Yangtze River has apologised, and its general manager said the company would cooperate with the investigation into why the ship sank in heavy wind and rain.

The captain survived and is said to be in detention.








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