Hundreds missing as China ship sinks

A 65-year-old woman was among those rescued from the hull of the ship
A 65-year-old woman was among those rescued from the hull of the ship

Five people have died and hundreds are missing after a cruise ship carrying 458 people capsized on the Yangtze River in China's Hubei province.

 

The ship is floating upside down in a wide stretch of river - state media said rescuers tapping the hull had heard calls for help from inside.The boat, the Eastern Star, reportedly sent no emergency signal.Media reports say the alarm was raised by several people who had swum to shore and alerted the police.Most of those on board were tourists aged around 50 to 80 travelling from the eastern city of Nanjing to Chongqing in the south-west - a journey of at least 1,500km (930 miles).

Editor's Comment
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While the political shift brings hope for change, it also places immense pressure on the new administration to deliver on its election promises in the face of serious economic challenges.On another level, newly appointed Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe’s grim assessment of the country’s finances adds urgency to the moment. The budget deficit, expected to be P8.7 billion, is now anticipated to be even higher due to underperforming diamond...

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