China Travel Notes & News

Cruise Boat Grounded in Yangtze River, Tourists Safe A cruise ship on Yangtze River ran aground early morning on Tuesday, September 1. All of the 163 people on board - passengers and crew - escaped safely. Ninety-three Germans and two Britons were among tourists traveling on the ship. The accident took place shortly after midnight when river liner Yinghe No. 2 came up to a bridge that spans the river. The ship had cruised through the Three Gorges and was sailing up the river toward the city of Chongqing. There was heavy fog in the region at the time and ship navigators did not spot the obstacle ahead till it was too late. The ship's pilot attempted a sharp turn to avoid collision, running the vessel over underground rocks close to one bank. The boat tilted to one side and a part of it was submerged. Yinhe No. 2 is operated by Jinhai Travel Services based in Yichang, Hubei. After the incident tour operators transported ship passengers to Chongqing in coaches. From there the foreign tourists continued with their itineraries. Back to China Notes and News