The pontoon's anchor line was sheared , throwing overboard more than 20 passengers, mostly women and children.
More than twenty people fell into the Yangtze River around 11:10 this morning after a pontoon capsized in the fifth wharf of Chaotianmen, in southwest China’s Chongqing City, the Chongqing Aquatic Sub-Bureau of Public Security of the City has confirmed.The pontoon's anchor line was sheared , throwing overboard more than 20 passengers, mostly women and children.Public security and fire fighters have conducted the rescue operation.UPDATE: Chongqing municipal government immediately organized the maritime, transportation, public security departments and corporate rescue efforts as of 14:30, there were 13 people were rescued, there are still five people still unaccounted for, including staff children present search and rescue work is still in progress. Photo take on July 1, 2013 shows the site where a barge capsized in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. The barge capsized around 11 am Monday after a cable that secured the vessel was broken by strong floodwaters. Eighteen people who were on board the ship fell into the water during the incident. Five people including one child went missing. Photo: Xinhua