Tragic boat accident in China: fatalities reported

Yesterday, four passenger boats carrying tourists capsized on the Liuchong River in Guizhou Province. The tragic boat accident was caused by a sudden surge in wind. A total of 84 passengers and crew members ended up in the water – unfortunately, not all of them could be saved.

Unlucky May Holiday in China

On Sunday at 1:50 PM local time, Guizhou’s meteorological services issued a yellow storm warning. The rain was preceded by very strong gusts of wind, which caused four tourist boats sailing on the Liuchong River near the city of Qianxi in southwest China to overturn. Passengers were enjoying the final day of the four-day May holiday, a peak season for tourism in China.

In total, 84 people from the four vessels fell into the water. Eight fire department units responded with boats and underwater robots. Nearly 500 rescuers participated in the operation, including 83 divers.

Hospitalizations and fatalities

According to the Chinese newspaper China Daily, by 7:00 PM on Sunday, more than 50 people had been pulled from the water and immediately taken to nearby hospitals. A total of 70 people were hospitalized, though none were reported to be in life-threatening condition. Sadly, by Sunday evening, nine bodies had also been recovered. On Monday at noon, the media reported that the body of a tenth, previously missing tourist had been found.

President Xi Jinping personally assured that the highest standards of rescue operations were being upheld and pledged support for the families of the deceased. He also reiterated the call for meticulous inspections of tourist attractions and means of transportation to prevent future tragedies.

Another boat accident

According to the Xinhua News Agency, none of the overturned boats had been overloaded. However, no information has been released regarding the technical condition or equipment of the vessels.

Less than two months ago, on the Yuanshui River in Hunan Province, a small passenger ferry collided with a vessel used to clean up oil spills. The collision caused 19 people to fall into the water; 11 of them could not be saved. The exact cause of the accident was not disclosed, and local authorities refused to comment.

Boat accidents are relatively common in China – in the period from 2008 to 2019, a total of 24,013 water incidents were recorded, putting nearly 210,000 people in life-threatening situations. The total number of fatalities during that time is estimated to exceed 8,000. A study published by medical experts from university hospitals in Hunan and Shanghai found that the effectiveness of rescue operations has remained at a steady 96% for years, despite significant investments in increasing resources.

main photo: Shankar S./Flickr