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Sunken ship's rescue situation hardly optimistic: city maritime authority
Online Edition
Shanghai Salvage Bureau and Donghai Rescue Bureau have jointly sent a group of 24 people to the Yangtze River for rescue work of Dongfangzhixing. The group includes 4 commanders, 4 technical engineers and 16 experienced divers.
“Given the information we have collected, the situation is hardly optimistic,” said Huang Jianwei, director of Shanghai Maritime Safety Bureau's Navigable Water Management Department. “But we will not give up hope and try the best.”
Dongfangzhixing (Eastern Star) was hit by a cyclone during its voyage and sank in the Yangtze River on Monday evening. The bureau said the cyclone is confirmed to be of force 9.2.
According to Huang, the captain of a ship has the right and obligation to cancel or suspend a voyage when wind heavier than force 8 is detected. Usually, the captain, chief engineer, first and second engineers would take charge of the voyage in turn.
“A cyclone is hard to be predicted and occurs too swiftly, leaving little time for ships to react,” Huang said. “Accidents on river are hard to be detected from the shore, especially in dark condition, if no report is sent by the ship itself in time.”
According to a standard procedure, a ship has to be lifted or moved to the shore before rescuers open the cabin and search for survivors.
“It all depends on how much air is left in the capsized cabin. Those staying in the watertight cabins still have a chance to survive.”
Huang said few inner river ships could escape from the tragedy Dongfangzhixing has encountered on Monday.
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