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June 11, 2015

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Experts comb through the evidence

Source: Agencies | June 11, 2015, Thursday | Print Edition

INVESTIGATORS looking into last week’s cruise ship disaster have collected a “multitude of first-hand evidence” and have interviewed many people including the captain, Xinhua news agency said yesterday.

Only 14 people survived when the Eastern Star capsized on the Yangtze River during a storm on the night of June 1. Most of the passengers were elderly.

The vessel was on an 11-day trip along the Yangtze with 456 people onboard. Rescuers have retrieved the bodies of 434 victims, while eight people are still missing.

Acting under orders from Premier Li Keqiang, the State Council set up a 60-strong investigation team on June 2.

The team, headed by Yang Dongliang, director of the State Administration of Work Safety, is comprised of specialists in meteorology, ship design and manufacturing, shipping safety, IT and law.

They are investigating weather conditions at the time, the structure and retrofitting of the ship, its fitness to sail and its sailors’ responsibilities, as well as shipping safety supervision on the Yangtze, Xinhua said.

It added: “Investigators have interviewed survivors, the captain included, shipping company managers, designers and builders of the Eastern Star, and witnesses from other ships.”

Video footage and other evidence has been obtained from the ship, and weather, radar and other data was being analyzed for indications of what went wrong.

Investigators have also been combing through the vessel’s certificates, design drawings and other engineering papers.

A government circular stressed that the investigation is complex and that the causes of the sinking can only be determined through scrupulous scientific methods and simulation tests. “The conclusion must be scientific and able to stand the test of time,” it said.

Forensic teams have been using DNA from relatives to identify bodies and, to date, more than 200 matches have been made.

The company which operated the ship has apologized for the disaster and said it would cooperate fully with the investigation.

Police detained the captain and chief engineer for questioning as part of the investigation. Initial findings are that the ship was not overloaded and had enough life jackets on board.

Computer experts are trying to recover video footage and GPS data from devices found when the ship was righted last Friday.

The team hopes this will shed light on the ship’s route and how the emergency was handled, Xinhua said. Data from satellites, radars and ground-level monitors is informing the investigation about weather conditions at the time.

The ship has been moved away from the site of the tragedy to a spot where it can be stabilized.

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