Sri Lanka condoles with China on ship sinking

The Sri Lankan Government today expressed condolences to the Government and the people of China on the tragic incident of the capsizing of a cruise ship in the Yangtze River in the Hubei Province, where many people are feared to have drowned, with hundreds still missing.

The thoughts and prayers of the people of Sri Lanka are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

“It is hoped that the search and rescue efforts will succeed in saving those who are still missing.”

“At this time of grief, the Government and the people of Sri Lanka reiterate their solidarity, friendship and support for the Government and the people of the People’s Republic of China,” the statement said.

As of midday Wednesday, with heavy rain falling, only 14 people were known to have survived the accident; 430 others who had been aboard the Oriental Star were unaccounted for.

Twelve people had been confirmed dead, according to the official Xinhua news agency, and many hundreds were probably still inside the vessel. Mr. Chen, the military commander, said that more people might still be alive in the ship and that additional rescuers were on their way to the scene, in Jianli County of Hubei Province.

The ship keeled over Monday night local time in severe weather that the captain and engineer described to investigators as a tornado, state news media reports said.