The "Dong Fang Zhi Xing" (Eastern Star) capsized and sank on the Yangtze River in the Wuhan, Damazhou area on June 1, 2015, at 9.30 p.m.
The overturned ship drifted almost two miles downstream before coming to rest close to the river shore in a water depth of around 15 meters.
The vessel was carrying 405 passengers - many of whom started out in Shanghai, taking a bus to Nanjing for the departure to Chongqing - five travel agents and 48 crew on a holiday cruise up the Yangtze from Nanjing to Chongqing when it was struck by a severe storm. The storm with heavy rain and strong winds caused the vessel to capsize and sink within just a few minutes.
Many passengers were still asleep when the vessel sank. It was believed they received no warning and were still in their cabins. After the sinking, only 12 of the 458 on board were rescued. Seven swam ashore and raised alarm, while the others were pulled from the water. Some required treatment for minor injuries and were taken to a local hospital.
Among the survivors were the captain and chief engineer who stated a cyclone struck the vessel and did not allow the vessel to send out a distress call.
Authorities responded quickly and had several rescue units on the scene. 20 divers were requested to aid efforts while about 100 local fishing boats joined the SAR efforts.
Rescue workers on top the the upturned hull were tapping on the metal to try and locate survivors. Divers would then be told where on the boat the noise came from before an effort was made to reach them.
More than 1,000 armed police officers were dispatched to the site in Hubei Province. Rescuers battled strong wind and heavy rain to reach the stricken vessel.
China's transport ministry and other government departments were also told to throw all available resources into the rescue effort and for the treatment of those saved.
A crane barge has been requested to help right the overturn hull in hopes to find survivors who may have found an airpocket. The passengers were mainly elderly Chinese tourists. 97 of the passengers were travelling with the Shanghai Xiehe Travel Agency. Five bodies had so far been recovered from the ship.
Captain arrested
Family members of some of the hundreds of passengers aboard a capsized Chinese cruise boat scuffled with officials in Shanghai on Tuesday, angry that they were not being told what happened to the vessel and their loved ones. Reuters reports:
About 60 people, many of them relatives of tourists on the Eastern Star cruise boat that capsized in the Yangtze River in a storm late on Monday, had initially gathered at a travelagency office that handled the bookings for the cruise.
That was locked and they were later escorted to the Shanghai local government office building where they were asked to wait inside a room. Scuffles broke out when a group of relatives, furious over the lack of information being given to them, started demanding more answers from officials.
"We're extremely anxious," said Zhang Yingli, 56, whose brother and wife were on the boat.
"It's 4:30 p.m. now and we haven't heard anything from anyone expect the news. No one has come to reassure us."