CHINA-SHIP/VIGIL Vigil held for victims of Yangtze River boat sinking

Record ID: 150117

  • Title: CHINA-SHIP/VIGIL Vigil held for victims of Yangtze River boat sinking
  • Date: 4th June 2015
  • Summary: JIANLI COUNTY, HUBEI PROVINCE, CHINA (JUNE 4, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERING IN SQUARE HOLDING CANDLES MAN TELLING EVERYONE TO PRAY AND KNEEL ON FLOOR PEOPLE KNEELING ON FLOOR VARIOUS OF WOMEN LIGHTING TEA LIGHTS ON GROUND FEMALE FAMILY MEMBER KNEELING AND CRYING FEMALE FAMILY MEMBER CRYING AND WALKING AWAY WOMAN LIGHTING CANDLE CANDLES BURNING/ PEOPLE STANDIN
  • Embargoed: 19th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3HPSKM2LO21ZVOR47HG6MQOSL
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds of residents of China's Jianli County in central Hubei province, turned out to show their support on Thursday (June 04) to the family members who lost their loved ones when a passenger boat sank in the nearby Yangtze River.
    Many lit candles and held prayers as rescuers continued to search for more than 300 people still missing after the Eastern Star Cruise ship capsized in a storm on Monday night (June 01).
    The ship was carrying 456 people, mainly elderly passengers when it sank. Only 14 survivors have been found while authorities have recovered 75 dead bodies.
    Several family members, their eyes brimming with tears, knelt in the centre of the city square, about a-1.5 hour drive from the site of Monday's disaster.
    Other who attended the vigil recalled what the weather was like on the night the boat sank.
    "That night when I finished my homework, I knew that the water was already knee-deep, I knew that the weather was terrible, and I still cannot believe that something so terrible like that happened so close to us. I came here to pray for victims to rest in peace," said 16-year-old high school student and Jianli resident, Zheng Weiyue.
    Others attended the vigil as they said they felt helpless and wanted to show their support to the family members still awaiting news.
    "I feel very heartbroken and saddened; I hope the victims in heaven can rest in peace. There's only so much that we can do, and we want to help the family members here. I feel a bit better (having come) so they have some support," said 44-year-old Jianli resident, Xiong Meihong.
    The operation to start righting the ship has already begun.
    Beijing has pledged that there would be "no cover-up" of an investigation, and President Xi Jinping on Thursday convened a special meeting of the ruling Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, the apex of power in the country, to discuss the disaster.
    Authorities say they're investigating the crew members who were rescued from the Eastern Star.
    Police have also detained the captain and chief engineer for questioning.
    An initial investigation found the ship was not overloaded and had enough life vests on board.
    The ship had been on an 11-day voyage upstream from Nanjing, near Shanghai, to Chongqing.
    Relatives have asked the government to release the names of survivors and the dead, and questioned why most of those rescued were crew members. Some have also demanded to know why the boat did not dock in the storm, and why the rescued captain and crew members had time to put on life vests but did not sound any alarm.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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