Rescuers recovered five bodies from a capsized cargo ship off of China's Shandong Province early on Wednesday, but the number of missing remains unknown.

 

The bodies were pulled from the cabin after divers broke through a hole at the bottom of the ship on Thursday morning, a spokesman with the rescue headquarters said in Penglai in the eastern coastal province.

 

The dead were identified as residents of Penglai City and Changdao County, both in Yantai, Shandong Province, the spokesman said.

 

"More than 400 rescuers, 11 boats and one helicopter have been searching the area for other possible missing people," he said.

 

But the number of missing remained unclear, he added.

 

Rescuers planned to salvage the sunken ship on Thursday afternoon, but the operation was postponed due to turbulent currents.

 

Tian Deshun, the cargo ship captain, was detained for illegally carrying passengers. He told police it was difficult to provide the specific number of passengers onboard because they were all his fellow Changdao County residents. He did not take a head count and let the people ride for free.

 

Two crew members were also detained on the same charge and police were continuing to question them.

 

The ship, registered in Shandong as No. 926, capsized at about 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday about one nautical mile off the Penglai coast. It was also carrying a cargo of flour and cement when the accident happened and was bound for Changdao from Penglai. The voyage between the two places usually takes about 40 minutes.

 

Seven people, including Tian and his two crew members, were rescued on Wednesday. They were in good condition and left hospital that night.

 

The Yantai government ordered all local boats grounded and launched a investigation into illegal passenger transport.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2007)