Focusing on a series of fatal incidents, President Xi Jinping calls for stronger safety measures for tourism and public events.
A sudden storm in Gitzhou Province, southwestern China, capsized four boats, killing 10 people and injuring 70 people.
State media reported that more than 80 people fell into the water on Monday when rain and eaves hit the ship on a stretch on the Wu River near Qianxi city on Sunday afternoon.
The rescue operation ran overnight. Initial reports show that nine people have died and one has gone missing. However, rescuers found the missing person.
In one video shared by state media, a man could be seen performing CPR on a person, while one of the ships drifted upside down.
The first reports suggested that two tourist boats had capsized. However, CCTV later confirmed that four boats were involved. Two of them had no passengers at the time – an incident that occurred upstream of the waterway, the longest tributary of the Yangtze River in China.
The seven crew members on two ships that were not carrying passengers managed to swim safely, the broadcaster said.
An eyewitness interviewed by the state-owned Beijing News said that some passengers could swim safely after the storm came down quickly, and the thick fog blurred the river’s visibility.
According to CCTV, the boats involved were not overloaded. Each had a maximum capacity of 40 passengers.
State officials have dispatched about 500 paramedics to lead the rescue operation.
President Xi Jinping called for “full effort” in search and rescue operations and treatment of injured people, state communications agency Xinhua said.
XI also “emphasized the importance of strengthening safety measures in tourist attraction,” said other large public venues.
He also noted a recent series of fatal incidents across the country.
The River Wu, which passes through Gitsow’s mountainous region, is a popular destination for domestic tourists, especially on holidays.
From May 1st to May 5th, domestic travel increased sharply during the May Day holiday in China. Government data cited by state media showed that many tourist destinations across the country were overwhelmed by the crowds.
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