A group of officials from a chemical plant in Kaifeng, Henan Province were on a Yellow River sightseeing trip this week to celebrate the Chinese Communist Party's birthday on July 1. They were on board the Pearl No. 2 Tuesday night when a sudden storm, measuring force 9 to 10, hit the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. The boat capsized at about 8:00 PM, throwing all 69 people on board into the cold water.

Only 26 were rescued that night. One of them died en route to the hospital and another was seriously injured but in stable condition.

A team of more than 20 salvage experts from Beijing and Shanghai arrived at the reservoir in Jiyuan, Henan Province, on Wednesday, and at 2:00 AM on Thursday seven divers started working.

But by Thursday evening, only two bodies had been found at the accident site. The rest are feared dead.

A team of investigators sent by the State Council determined that the incident was the result of a conscious breach of safety regulations.

A project was under way at the Xiaolangdi Dam to clear silt from the river bottom by releasing water under high pressure from the dam. Local authorities made it clear that no tour boats were allowed to cruise the reservoir from June 15 to July 10.

The boat, with a capacity of 52 people, sailed out on Tuesday despite the ban, carrying 69.

Survivors said that not a single passenger was given a life jacket nor was anyone instructed in the use of the life buoys.

The passengers were told to close the windows when the storm struck. But the boat overturned within half a minute and many of the survivors had to break windows to get out. They were later rescued by a fishing boat and more boats arriving on calls for assistance.

The Pearl No. 2 sank in 10 minutes with the rest of the passengers.

"This tragedy could have been avoided," said Wang Dexue, director of the State Administration of Work Safety. "It is a serious lesson for us."

Three officials of the Pearl Island Development Co. along with a captain and a boatman who are believed to be responsible for the accident have been taken into police custody.

The depth of the reservoir and temperature of the water complicate salvage efforts, a rescue supervisor said. The boat sank in 57 meters of water.

(China Daily June 25, 2004)