This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/02/anger-and-resignation-at-scene-of-chinese-cruise-ship-sinking

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Anger and resignation at scene of Chinese cruise ship sinking Anger and resignation at scene of Chinese cruise ship sinking
(about 2 hours later)
The call that transformed Deng Liping from minivan driver to corpse collector came out of the blue at dawn on Tuesday.The call that transformed Deng Liping from minivan driver to corpse collector came out of the blue at dawn on Tuesday.
“The government told me to come to the river and pick up the bodies,” the 52-year-old said. “They said a ship had sunk, get ready to leave.”“The government told me to come to the river and pick up the bodies,” the 52-year-old said. “They said a ship had sunk, get ready to leave.”
Less than two hours later, Deng and dozens of other volunteer drivers found themselves on the waterlogged banks of the Yangtze river at the scene of what looks likely to be China’s worst shipping disaster since 1948.Less than two hours later, Deng and dozens of other volunteer drivers found themselves on the waterlogged banks of the Yangtze river at the scene of what looks likely to be China’s worst shipping disaster since 1948.
Just offshore lay the upended shell of the Eastern Star, a luxury cruise ship that was carrying 458 people, including dozens of elderly tourists and a three-year-old boy, when it capsized and sank on Monday night.Just offshore lay the upended shell of the Eastern Star, a luxury cruise ship that was carrying 458 people, including dozens of elderly tourists and a three-year-old boy, when it capsized and sank on Monday night.
By Tuesday afternoon 15 survivors had been found, including the ship’s captain and chief engineer who were detained for questioning. Five dead were brought to shore.By Tuesday afternoon 15 survivors had been found, including the ship’s captain and chief engineer who were detained for questioning. Five dead were brought to shore.
Deng, the driver-cum-undertaker, pointed to 10 bright orange bodybags he had been given to take away some of the hundreds more who are feared dead. “Nothing like this has ever happened before,” he said.Deng, the driver-cum-undertaker, pointed to 10 bright orange bodybags he had been given to take away some of the hundreds more who are feared dead. “Nothing like this has ever happened before,” he said.
Details of the Eastern Star’s terrifying final moments began to emerge on Tuesday night as darkness enveloped the small port of Damazhou, which rescue teams are using as their base.Details of the Eastern Star’s terrifying final moments began to emerge on Tuesday night as darkness enveloped the small port of Damazhou, which rescue teams are using as their base.
The vessel was travelling along the world’s third longest river from Nanjing to Chongqing, the southwestern megacity, when it ran into trouble after hitting a ferocious storm that China’s weather bureau classified as a tornado. The vessel was travelling along the world’s third longest river from Nanjing to Chongqing, a major city in the south-west of the country, when it ran into trouble after hitting a ferocious storm that China’s weather bureau classified as a tornado.
Residents of Miaoling village, around two miles from the boat’s final resting place, described a furious cyclone that uprooted trees and flooded fields and homes.Residents of Miaoling village, around two miles from the boat’s final resting place, described a furious cyclone that uprooted trees and flooded fields and homes.
“It was a level-12 storm out on the river,” said Liu Pingshan, a 45-year-old farmer. “I have never seen one like that before. It is very rare.”“It was a level-12 storm out on the river,” said Liu Pingshan, a 45-year-old farmer. “I have never seen one like that before. It is very rare.”
The storm rattled the 406 tourists on the Eastern Star, most of them retirees from eastern China aged between 50 and 80, according to local reports. One passenger, named as 60-year-old Zhang Lifen, was so alarmed that she called her husband who was hundreds of miles away in Shanghai. The storm alarmed the 406 tourists on the Eastern Star, most of them retirees from eastern China aged between 50 and 80, according to local reports. One passenger, named as 60-year-old Zhang Lifen, was so worried that she called her husband who was hundreds of miles away in Shanghai.
“It is raining heavily and the wind is blowing like crazy,” she told him, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper.“It is raining heavily and the wind is blowing like crazy,” she told him, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper.
Less than half an hour later, at 9.28pm, the ship keeled over in the murky brown water. It took less than two minutes for it to sink, according to the People’s Daily newspaper, the Communist party’s official mouthpiece.Less than half an hour later, at 9.28pm, the ship keeled over in the murky brown water. It took less than two minutes for it to sink, according to the People’s Daily newspaper, the Communist party’s official mouthpiece.
By dawn a rescue operation had kicked in as hundreds of Chinese troops, police and emergency workers poured into the rural area around Jianli, the nearest city to the disaster.By dawn a rescue operation had kicked in as hundreds of Chinese troops, police and emergency workers poured into the rural area around Jianli, the nearest city to the disaster.
“We will do everything we can to rescue everyone trapped in there, no matter they’re still alive or not and we will treat them as our own families,” saidi Chen Shoumin, a senior military commander from Hubei province. “We will do everything we can to rescue everyone trapped in there, no matter if they’re still alive or not and we will treat them as our own families,” said Chen Shoumin, a senior military commander from Hubei province.
Images broadcast on Chinese television showed a rescue worker tapping on the ship’s hull with a small hammer in an apparent attempt to find survivors trapped in underwater air pockets.Images broadcast on Chinese television showed a rescue worker tapping on the ship’s hull with a small hammer in an apparent attempt to find survivors trapped in underwater air pockets.
As the hours passed, stories of survival began to emerge: first of a 65-year-old woman who was pulled from the wreck, then of Zhang Hui, a tour guide who escaped despite spending 10 hours in the water and not knowing how to swim.As the hours passed, stories of survival began to emerge: first of a 65-year-old woman who was pulled from the wreck, then of Zhang Hui, a tour guide who escaped despite spending 10 hours in the water and not knowing how to swim.
“I’m still alive,” a jubilant Zhang told his wife and 15-year-old son in his first call home, according to Chinese state media.“I’m still alive,” a jubilant Zhang told his wife and 15-year-old son in his first call home, according to Chinese state media.
The 43-year-old painted a chilling portrait of the cruise ship’s last moments. As the rainstorm pounded the vessel, he recalled, he began to notice more and more water coming on board. “The water continued to seep through even when you shut the windows,” he said.The 43-year-old painted a chilling portrait of the cruise ship’s last moments. As the rainstorm pounded the vessel, he recalled, he began to notice more and more water coming on board. “The water continued to seep through even when you shut the windows,” he said.
Within minutes the ship was listing at a 45-degree angle, sending bottles clattering to the floor.Within minutes the ship was listing at a 45-degree angle, sending bottles clattering to the floor.
“Looks like we are in trouble,” he told his friend. Seconds later the boat was submerged. “If it had not happened so fast, a lot of people could’ve been saved.”“Looks like we are in trouble,” he told his friend. Seconds later the boat was submerged. “If it had not happened so fast, a lot of people could’ve been saved.”
During a visit to the disaster site on Tuesday, China’s prime minister, Li Keqiang, praised the rescue effort and hailed Zhang’s survival as a miracle.During a visit to the disaster site on Tuesday, China’s prime minister, Li Keqiang, praised the rescue effort and hailed Zhang’s survival as a miracle.
He urged rescuers to “seize every second, battle the fatigue and challenge the extremes” in the race to find survivors, Xinhua reported.He urged rescuers to “seize every second, battle the fatigue and challenge the extremes” in the race to find survivors, Xinhua reported.
Zhang Hongxia, a local doctor, was among hundreds of people gathered on the banks of the Yangtze hoping for further miracles. “The chance if survivors is really slim,” said Zhang, who works at Jianli’s Number Five People’s hospital. “[But] it’s the duty of a doctor to be here. If we can save one person we will still feel really happy.” Zhang Hongxia, a local doctor, was among hundreds of people gathered on the banks of the Yangtze hoping for further miracles. “The chance of survivors is really slim,” said Zhang, who works at Jianli’s Number Five People’s hospital. “[But] it’s the duty of a doctor to be here. If we can save one person we will still feel really happy.”
Mostly, however, the atmosphere was of quiet resignation as Jianli’s amateur body collectors lined up on the muddy riverbank waiting for their grisly cargo to come ashore.Mostly, however, the atmosphere was of quiet resignation as Jianli’s amateur body collectors lined up on the muddy riverbank waiting for their grisly cargo to come ashore.
“It is a natural disaster,” shrugged Xu Houwu, 62, a subsistence farmer who had also been asked to turn his hand to the funeral trade. “It is not something we can change.”“It is a natural disaster,” shrugged Xu Houwu, 62, a subsistence farmer who had also been asked to turn his hand to the funeral trade. “It is not something we can change.”
By nightfall the families of 17 passengers from Fujian province had arrived in Jianli seeking news of their loved ones and answers. There was anger among some relatives that human errors as well as meteorological conditions might have contributed to the tragedy.By nightfall the families of 17 passengers from Fujian province had arrived in Jianli seeking news of their loved ones and answers. There was anger among some relatives that human errors as well as meteorological conditions might have contributed to the tragedy.
“Why did the captain leave the ship while the passengers were still missing?” asked Huang Yan, a Shanghai accountant who believed that her husband and father were on board.“Why did the captain leave the ship while the passengers were still missing?” asked Huang Yan, a Shanghai accountant who believed that her husband and father were on board.
“The government must meet its responsibility,” said Huang Jing, who had two relatives on board. “We need to learn what happened to our loved ones.”“The government must meet its responsibility,” said Huang Jing, who had two relatives on board. “We need to learn what happened to our loved ones.”
Additional reporting Luna LinAdditional reporting Luna Lin