Thirty-two persons, including an infant, are missing, and eight bodies have been recovered following a Wednesday morning collision between two vessels on the Yangtze River in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

The cargo ship "Yisheng" of central China's Hubei Province and the passenger ship "Changyun 1" of a Chongqing shipping company collided near a port in the water area of the river in Chongqing.

The "Changyun 1" sank within two minutes of the impact, plunging all 47 passengers into the icy water. The passengers included 18 teachers and one infant.

Thus far, seven passengers have been rescued.

The "Yisheng" had just left Chongqing with a cargo of 30 motor vehicles when it collided with the "Changyun 1", according to Wu Lianfan, deputy secretary-general of the Chongqing municipal government.

Local officials and police rushed to the scene immediately. The cause of the collision is under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2002)