China Shipwreck – Death Toll Rises to 20

Cargo ship blamed for sinking overloaded passenger vessel in Xunjiang River collision

The death toll from a recent shipwreck in south China has risen to 20 as six missing people were confirmed dead, local authorities said.

The passenger ship sank in the Xunjiang River after colliding with a cargo ship in the city of Guiping in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Initially a total of 14 passengers were found dead and six were missing. Further search efforts discovered the bodies of all those six people, the Guiping city government said in a statement.

Thirty people, including two crew members, survived the shipwreck.

According to a preliminary investigation, the cargo ship was blamed for the accident. It was traveling outside of the river's designated shipping lane when it collided with the passenger vessel.

With a maximum capacity of 30 people, the passenger vessel also was overloaded at the time of the collision.

The cargo ship's pilot, the passenger vessel's captain and owners of both the ships have been detained.