Death Toll for Capsized Chinese Cruise Ship Jumps to Over 400
Since righting the vessel on Friday, rescue personnel have recovered hundreds of bodies from a capsized passenger ship on the Yangtze River, bringing the official death toll to 406 as of Saturday, the L.A. Times reports. According to the Associated Press, this makes the Eastern Star disaster the country’s deadliest maritime accident since 1948.
On Monday, the Eastern Star quickly overturned while traveling through rough weather, the ship’s captain reporting it had been hit by a cyclone. Weather officials later confirmed a tornado was recorded in the area at the time of the accident.
Of the 456 passengers and crew members reportedly on board, only 14 survivors have been found. This includes the Eastern Star’s captain and chief engineer, both of whom are now in police custody. As of Saturday, 36 people are still not accounted for.
[Image via AP Images]