Death toll crosses 434 in China ship disaster

The death toll rose to 434 on Monday in China’s Eastern Star cruise ship disaster.  According to rescue officials, two bodies were recovered on Monday morning, reducing the number of unaccounted people to eight. Only 14 people have been rescued so far.

The cruise ship Eastern Star, carrying 456 people onboard, was on an 11-day trip over the Yangtze River when it was overturned by a freak tornado last Monday on June 1. Over 3,400 soldiers, 1,700 paramilitary personnel, together with 149 vessels and a helicopter have joined in the rescue mission.

The 76.5 metre vessel had been in service for nearly 20 years and can carry up to 534 people. It went through an annual maintenance in 2014, and was qualified to cruise until April 25, 2016.

Hundreds of bodies from the Eastern Star were found Friday and Saturday, including that of a 3-year-old girl in the top deck. A mourning ceremony was held on Sunday. The Eastern Star disaster became the country’s worst since the sinking of the SS Kiangya off Shanghai in 1948, which is believed to have killed anywhere from 2,750 to nearly 4,000 people.

Authorities took the captain and the chief engineer into custody for questioning.