Ten people are missing after a boat illegally carrying
passengers capsized near Changxing Island near Shanghai
yesterday.
The private boat with 22 people on board, many of whom had paid
to travel because licensed ferries were not allowed to operate in
the fog, left Changxing Island heading to Wusong Port at about 2pm
yesterday.
Soon after, it collided with an anchored cargo ship, overturning
and throwing all on board into the water.
The ship's crew managed to pull 12 of the victims to safety but
the others had not been found at the time of going to press.
Yesterday on the fog-blanketed Yangtze River, water traffic
authorities were stretched trying to control boats ignoring the
shipping bans and other craft illegally ferrying commuters for
money.
Two fully laden fishing boats acting as illegal ferries near
Waigaoqiao Port were arrested. The 10-meter wooden boats were
packed with more than 30 men, women and children, some even
crouching on top of the cabins.
The passengers were migrant workers from Waigaoqiao Port and had
paid in all 200 yuan for the risky ride along the river.
The two operators have been fined 500 yuan each and will be
detained by the police for five days.
Thee city's port and ferry services remained locked down
yesterday, with nearly 1,000 vessels now anchoring in ports and at
the mouth of the Yangtze.
(Shanghai Daily January 12, 2008)