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Sinking of Dongfang zhi Xing

Coordinates: 29°45′33″N 112°55′22″E / 29.7592181°N 112.9227229°E / 29.7592181; 112.9227229
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Sinking of the MV Dong Fang Zhi Xing
Sinking of Dongfang zhi Xing is located in China
Sinking location
Sinking location
Date1 June 2015
Time21:28 (UTC+8)
LocationYangtze River, China
(specifically Jianli County, Jingzhou, Hubei)
Coordinates29°45′33″N 112°55′22″E / 29.7592181°N 112.9227229°E / 29.7592181; 112.9227229
Participants456[1]
OutcomeOngoing
Ship sank, 14 rescued
Deaths431[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Non-fatal injuries14
Missing11

MV Dong Fang Zhi Xing (Chinese: 东方之星; pinyin: Dōngfāng zhī Xīng; translated as Oriental Star or Eastern Star) was a river cruise ship that operated in the Three Gorges region of inland China. On 1 June 2015, the ship was traveling on the Yangtze River in Jianli, Hubei Province with more than 450 people on board when it was struck by a tornadic waterspout which was later rated EF1, causing it to capsize. As of 7 June 2015, 431 deaths had been confirmed. Rescue efforts to find the approximately 11 missing passengers are ongoing.

Ship

History
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Dong Fang Zhi Xing
东方之星
OwnerChongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation (重庆东方轮船公司)[9]
OperatorChongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation (重庆东方轮船公司)
Port of registry China
RouteNanjing to Chongqing
OrderedBefore 1992[10]
BuilderChongqing Chuandong Shipyard (重庆川东造船厂)
Completed1994
Maiden voyageFuling to Wanzhou[11]
In serviceFebruary 1994[11]
Out of service1 June 2015
IdentificationMaritime Mobile Service Identity: 413800469[12]
FateCapsized and sank on 1 June 2015
StatusWreck
General characteristics
Class and typeCruise ship
Tonnage3900[13]
Displacement2200
Length76.5 metres (251 ft)[14]
Beam11 metres (36 ft)
Height18.6 metres (61 ft)
Draught2.5 metres (8.2 ft)
Speed6 knots (11 km/h)[15]
Capacity534 passengers
Crew46[16]

MV Dong Fang Zhi Xing was constructed in February 1994.[17] In 1997 the ship’s length was extended by 11 meters. It underwent another retrofit in 2008 that cut its capacity from 584 to 534 people.[18] As of 2015, the ship was 76 metres (250 ft) long with a beam of 14 metres (45 ft).[19] It was owned by the Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation and operated by Xiehe Travel, where it made cruises within the Three Gorges area of inland China.[20]

Dong Fang Zhi Xing, as well as other Yangtze River cruise ships, had come under increasing government scrutiny in recent years due to the growing tourist industry in China [citation needed]. In 2013, the Dong Fang Zhi Xing and five other ships were cited for safety violations by the Nanjing maritime bureau, though the Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation did not comment on the nature of these infractions.[21]

Sinking

File:东方之星翻沉水域.PNG
Location of the sinking of the Dong Fang Zhi Xing
A typical cruise ship similar to the Dong Fang Zhi Xing used to tour the Three Gorges rivers

Around 9:28 pm on 1 June 2015, Dong Fang Zhi Xing was making a 1,500 km (930 mile) trip from Nanjing to Chongqing via the Yangtze River. When the ship was near Jingzhou, it was caught in a severe storm and sank in approximately 15 m (49 ft) deep waters. The captain and the chief engineer said that the ship was hit by a tornado, and the China Meteorological Administration confirmed that a tornado occurred in Jianli County with wind-speeds reaching EF1 strength, or approximately 138–177 km/h (86–110 mph).[22][23] It is believed that the tornado struck the river near the ship's location.[24] Initially, the Chinese authorities reported 458 people were aboard the ship, but later reduced this figure to 456. This included 405 passengers—all of whom were Chinese and were mostly elderly—46 crew members and five tour guides.[1][23] According to crew members that were rescued, the storm hit and capsized the ship quickly while most of the passengers were asleep. One rescued passenger stated that the ship had become flooded with water, and with the turbulent river conditions, capsized after experiencing a list greater than 45 degrees.[24] About seven survivors were able to swim to shore and alert authorities to the situation, about two and a half hours after capsizing.[25]

Rescue

Rescue efforts were made immediately to save the passengers and crew, reaching full scale about twelve hours after the capsizing.[17] 82 people had been confirmed dead by 4 June,[2] with some bodies having washed ashore 50 km (31 miles) downstream from the wreck.[26] Fourteen people were rescued in the immediate aftermath, including the ship's engineer and captain.[25][27] According to a tweet from China Central Television (CCTV), rescuers were able to hear the sound of people trapped inside.[17] CCTV reported that search teams heard people yelling from within the ship. 1,000 police officers from the Hubei Armed Police Corps were sent to the site with 40 inflatable boats. Authorities reported that the search and rescue effort included 3,000 people and 50 boats.[25] Crews used both underwater approaches with diving apparatus, and above-water approaches through holes cut through the inverted hull.[26] Additional search efforts were made to locate survivors or bodies up to 220 kilometres (140 miles) downstream of the wreck.[28]

On 5 June, the inverted ship was fitted with cables and nets, and the holes cut in the hull sealed, in order to right the ship and resume the search for survivors or bodies.[29] The search yielded only bodies.[5] The search range was subsequently expanded to 1,000 km (620 miles) downstream on 5 June.[30]

The highest levels of the government were involved in the search coordination. Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang ordered rescue efforts. Premier Li Keqiang, Vice Premier Ma Kai and State Councilor Yang Jing traveled to the site itself.[31]

International response

  •  United States: The Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications of United States Department of State Marie Harf said the state department has sent condolences to China and to the families of the victims.[32]
  •  United Nations: The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, also expressed his sadness over this accident.[33]
  •  Germany: German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a condolence telegram to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.[34]
  •  Vatican: Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the Chinese people following the accident.[35]

Analysis of the incident

Authorities in China are attempting to determine the cause of the capsizing. Severe weather reports were issued for the area, which should have subsequently been sent to all vessels on the river in the area for them to take necessary precautions. There is no confirmation that Dong Fang Zhi Xing had been properly notified,[24] though at least one other vessel travelling nearby was shown to have taken precautions due to the weather warning.[21] The ship's captain and chief engineer, two of the rescued persons, have been taken into custody for questioning.[36]

The Chinese Government is censoring news and discussion about this accident. Chinese journalists have been told to focus on the "positive part" of the story only. Some foreign journalists have also been blocked from the rescue site in Hubei province where a police cordon has been set up with checkpoints.[37]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Wong, Edward; Forsythe, Michael (3 June 2015). "Few Triumphs in Frantic Hunt for 430 in Yangtze River". New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Death toll climbs to 82 as China starts righting capsized ship". Reuters. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Yangtze ship disaster: Chinese salvagers right Eastern Star". BBC News. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Chinese cruise ship raised from Yangtze as death toll climbs to 154". CBC News. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  5. ^ a b Watson, Ivan; Park, Madison; Botelho, Greg (5 June 2015). "331 bodies recovered from Chinese cruise ship that capsized". CNN. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Stricken Chinese cruise ship lifted from Yangtze River; hundreds of bodies recovered". CNN. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Many tears, few answers at site of China ship tragedy; death toll jumps to 406". LA Times. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Yangtze ferry disaster: Death toll exceeds 430 as recovery workers remember the dead". ABC Online. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  9. ^ 贾华杰 (2 June 2015). ""东方之星"沉船身世调查：所属公司亏损400万". qq.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  10. ^ 张梦云; 吴非 (2 June 2015). "我所知道的东方轮船公司和东方之星". Southern Weekly. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  11. ^ a b 中国船舶网 (4 June 2015). "东方轮船："东方之星"号曾"大改"". chinaship.cn. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  12. ^ "DONG FANG ZHI XING". shipxy.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  13. ^ "东方之星游轮倾覆事件告游客书". ifeng.com. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  14. ^ 赵宇飞、韩振 (2 June 2015). "失事客轮于1994年建造　中间曾进行翻修". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  15. ^ "東方之星沉沒前異常調頭 疑似操作不當". Central News Agency. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  16. ^ "长江沉船事故仍有437人生死不明 14人生还". Sina. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  17. ^ a b c Yong, Edward (2 June 2015). "Hundreds Missing After Chinese Cruise Ship Sinks on Yangtze". New York Times. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  18. ^ "China Prepares to Right Overturned Ship in Yangtze River". The Wall Street Journal. 4 June 2015.
  19. ^ "DONG FANG ZHI XING". Marinetraffic.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  20. ^ Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat. "438 Passengers Still Missing After Chinese Tour Boat Sinks". The Diplomat. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  21. ^ a b Burkitt, Laurie; Wong, Chun Han (3 June 2015). "Chinese Ship That Sank in Yangtze River Was Cited for Safety Issues". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  22. ^ "Tornado caused Chinese cruise ship to capsize". News 10. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  23. ^ a b "Survivor: Chinese cruise ship capsized quickly during violent storm". CNN. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  24. ^ a b c Wong, Chun Han; Chin, Josh (2 June 2015). "China Ship Passengers' Fate Unclear; Media Clampdown Begins". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  25. ^ a b c Phipps, Claire (2 June 2015). "Chinese ferry sinks in Yangtze river with 458 people aboard – latest updates". The Guardian.
  26. ^ a b "China ship capsize: 'Race against time' in Yangtze rescue". BBC. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  27. ^ Sue-Lin Wong (2 June 2015). "Chinese ferry with 458 aboard sinks in storm, 20 rescued". Reuters.
  28. ^ "Yangtze boat disaster: hopes fade for hundreds missing after China's worst boat tragedy in decades". Reuters. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  29. ^ "Yangtze disaster: Operation begins to lift Chinese ship". BBC. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  30. ^ "China ferry disaster search area is extended 1,000km down Yangtze river". The Guardian. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  31. ^ "President Xi urges all-out rescue efforts after ship with 458 people sinks". Xinhua. 2 June 2015.
  32. ^ "Daily Press Briefing". United States Department of State. 2 June 2015.
  33. ^ "Ban saddened by passenger ship accident in China". UN News Centre. 2 June 2015.
  34. ^ "Germany sends condolences to China over ship sinking". Xinhua. 3 June 2015.
  35. ^ "Pope Francis prays for victims of China ship disaster". Vatican Radio. 3 June 2015.
  36. ^ Mullen, Jethro; Jiang, Steven (1 June 2015). "Cruise ship sinks in China's Yangtze River with 458 aboard". CNN. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  37. ^ "China is censoring news and discussion about the Yangtze cruise disaster". Quartz. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
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