The death toll from a shipping accident in east China's Shandong province has increased to 10, and an unknown number of people are still missing, sources with the local rescue headquarter said.

 

Divers called in from the Beihai Rescue Bureau, under the Ministry of Communications, recovered five more bodies from the same cabin where they recovered five bodies Thursday morning.

 

More than 400 rescuers, 11 boats and one helicopter are still searching for other possible missing passengers, but turbulent currents and dense fog have made rescue work particularly difficult.

 

The ship, carrying a cargo of flour and cement, as well as passengers, capsized around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday when it was heading from Changdao County to Penglai City. The voyage between the two spots, both in Yantai City of eastern Shandong, usually takes about 40 minutes.

 

Seven people, including captain Tian Deshun, were rescued on Wednesday, but the total number of missing remains unknown as Tian did not take a head count before departure and let some passengers ride for free.

 

The dead were identified as residents of Penglai and Changdao.

 

Tian and two other crew members have been detained and are being questioned by police for illegally carrying passengers.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2007)