Ship carrying 447 people sinks in Yangtze River

A passenger ship carrying 447 people sank Monday night in the Hubei section of China’s Yangtze River, with more than 20 having been rescued, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

据CCTV报道，6月1日晚，一艘载有447人的客船在长江湖北段倾覆，20多人获救。

The luxury cruise ship, named Dongfangzhixing (Eastern Star), sank at around 9:28 pm in the Shishou (Hubei Province) section of the Yangtze River, according to the Yangtze River navigation administration.

长江海事局称，这艘名为“东方之星”的豪华游轮在6月1日晚9:28在长江湖北石首段倾覆。

The captain and the chief engineer, who have been rescued, both claimed the ship sank quickly after being caught in a cyclone.

船长和轮机长已获救，他们说在遭遇龙卷风后，船迅速沉没了。

It was heading from Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province, to southwest China’s Chongqing city.

客船从南京出发前往重庆，江苏省省会南京位于中国东部，重庆位于中国西南。

There were 397 Chinese tourists, five travel agency workers and 45 crew members aboard, according to the administration.

海事局透露，船上共有397名中国游客，5名旅行社工作人员，45名船员。

More than 20 people have been rescued, CCTV reported. More than ten rescue ships are searching for the survivors, Yangtze River navigation administration said. Rescue work is hampered by strong wind and heavy rain.

CCTV报道，已有20多人获救，海事局表示，有十多艘救难船正在搜寻幸存者。搜救工作因大风强降雨受阻。

The ship is 76.5 meters long, 11 meters wide and 3.1 meters deep. It can carry as many as 534 people.

轮船长76.5米，型宽11米，型深3.1米，核定乘客定额为534人。

Premier Li Keqiang is leaving for Jianli county of Hubei province to supervise the rescue operation. Officials who will go with him include Deputy Premier Ma Kai and State Councilor Yang Jing.

李克强总理正前往湖北安立县监督救援工作，随行的还有副总理马凯，国务委员杨晶。

The ship capsized in just one or two minutes after being caught in a cyclone and lay upside down, according to the Yangtze River navigation administration. Most people onboard were about to sleep. It did not send out a distress call when the tragedy happened. The ship is submerged upside down and it is difficult to carry out rescue operation.

长江海事局介绍，“东方之星”大型豪华游轮突遇龙卷风,在一两分钟之内倾覆倒扣在水中,当时船上大多数人都准备休息,因此,事故发生时该船没有向外发出任何求救信号, 目前已沉入江中,呈倒扣状,给救援工作造成极大困难。

Most of the passengers are group tourists aged between 50 and 80 organized by a travel agency in Shanghai, according to the Yangtze River navigation administration.

船上乘客多为上海一旅行社组织的“夕阳红”老年旅游团成员，年龄在50-80岁不等。

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来源:China Daily 新闻爱语吧作者:刘佳