The cruise along the Yangtze River was supposed to be a special one for Yang Yunlou and his wife, Chen Cailian, who were traveling with their 7-year-old granddaughter, Chenlin, visiting historic sites along a route that was carrying them west, toward the enormous Three Gorges Dam. The couple, both in their 60s, had paid for a first-class cabin on the huge cruise ship, the Oriental Star. At 9:05 p.m. Monday, they spoke by cellphone with relatives back home in Shanghai, and everything seemed fine. Nothing was said about the weather or the rain showers in the area. But less than 25 minutes later, a violent storm capsized the ship. Of the 456 passengers, only 14 are believed to have survived, including the captain. One of the survivors said he swam until dawn. Continue reading the main story RELATED COVERAGE Decisions by Captain in Yangtze Ship Disaster Come Under ScrutinyJUNE 3, 2015 Victims' bodies were carried along the Yangtze River on Wednesday after a cruise ship capsized.China Keeps Lid on Information, as Hopes Dim in Yangtze Ship DisasterJUNE 3, 2015 Rescue crews continued to remove bodies of victims from the capsized ship on Wednesday.Few Triumphs in Frantic Hunt for 430 in Yangtze RiverJUNE 2, 2015 Rescue efforts near Nanjing, China, on Tuesday. In 2013, inspectors found safety problems on six of 10 Yangtze cruise boats.Oriental Star Accident Highlights Increase in Safety Problems on Yangtze CruisesJUNE 2, 2015 On Thursday, three days after the accident, the victims’ grieving families were still searching for answers about what happened that evening; why the captain was one of the few survivors; and more grimly, when the bodies of their loved ones would be recovered from the wreckage. Continue reading the main story What We Know The Oriental Star capsized near the town of Jianli with 456 people aboard. Only 14 survivors have been found. By Thursday evening, 77 bodies were recovered, according to CCTV. Before the accident, a local maritime bureau sent a warning of heavy rain and thunderstorms. The Oriental Star was one of six vessels cited in 2013 for unspecified violations. What We Don’t Know The official cause of the accident and the ship’s safety record. The ship’s seaworthiness, including whether modifications to the hull made it more susceptible to capsizing. Whether the Oriental Star received the storm alert, and if so, why the captain continued sailing when at least two other vessels dropped their anchors. How the ship’s captain escaped and whether he had radioed for help, warned passengers to don life vests or ordered an evacuation. The confirmed death toll increased to 77 on Thursday, according to China Central Television, and about 1,200 family members have arrived in Jianli County, where the accident occurred, officials said. In all, 442 people are presumed dead, including Mr. Yang, Ms. Chen and their granddaughter, one of the youngest passengers on a ship that was filled mostly with retirees in their 60s and 70s. It is one of the worst maritime accidents in Asia in decades. “Yesterday was children’s day, and today, I have no idea whether my child is alive or not,” Tang Xia, the girl’s mother, said, sobbing Tuesday afternoon at a local government bureau where parents had gathered hoping for word about their loved ones. “I’m waiting desperately for any updates, or any official who can talk with me.” Many families are still hoping that, by some miracle, someone will be found alive. The government has not released an official passenger list of those aboard the Oriental Star, nor has the cruise ship operator, the Chongqing Oriental Ferry Company, although various websites have published what purport to be passenger lists. Families have expressed anger and frustration at the slow response from the government, the ship operator and the travel agencies involved, with some of them saying they have not been formally contacted or informed about the investigation. In a sign of the high-level attention being focused on the disaster, President Xi Jinping held a meeting on Thursday of the Politburo Standing Committee, the highest echelon of political power in China, to discuss the rescue efforts. It found them satisfactory. “In handling the response to this emergency, related aspects reacted with urgency, provided orderly assistance and took efficient steps,” the committee said, according to a summary from the official Xinhua news

• published: 04 Jun 2015
• views: 2