中國一艘客輪在長江傾覆,多人下落不明

Rescue crews in central China continued Tuesday to search for survivors after a passenger ship carrying 450 people sank during a storm in the Yangtze River.

The Xinhua news agency says only 12 people have been rescued and five bodies recovered so far. Heavy winds and rain are hampering efforts to find others.

The People's Daily newspaper said five more passengers have been located in the ship's cabin and that a rescue effort is under way. Earlier, a 65-year-old woman was pulled from the water.

Many passengers are believed to be trapped inside. Rescuers report hearing cries for help from inside the capsized vessel, according to state media reports.

The cause of the accident is not clear. The vessel ((Dongfangzhixing or Eastern Star)) was headed from Nanjing to Chongqing city in southwest China when it sank quickly during what were described as cyclone conditions.

Premier Li Keqiang is personally overseeing rescue efforts, and arrived early Tuesday at the rescue site with a work team from the State Council ((China's chief administrative body)), according to Xinhua.

President Xi Jinping has demanded an "all-out" effort to rescue the passengers, most of whom are believed to be between 50 and 80 years old, according to state media.

China's state broadcaster, CCTV said the vessel was capable of holding up to 534 people.一艘載有450人的客輪在長江行駛途中遭遇風暴後沉沒，救援人員星期二繼續尋找倖免遇難者。

新華社說，截至星期二凌晨，只有12人獲救，並打撈上五具遺體。狂風暴雨阻礙了搜救行動。

《人民日報》通過推特報道，發現有五名乘客困在船艙內，目前正設法解救。早些時候，一名65歲的婦女獲救。

據信很多乘客目前仍困在艙內。據中國官方媒體報道，救援人員報告說，可以聽到從這艘傾覆的客輪裏傳出的呼救聲。

目前還不清楚造成事故的原因。“東方之星”號客輪從南京駛往重慶途中遭遇龍捲風後，很快便沉沒了。

新華社說，中國總理李克強星期二清晨率救援人員抵達救援地點，親自負責救援行動。

中國國家主席習近平要求全力以赴營救乘客。中國官方媒體說，大部分乘客的年齡在50至80歲之間。

中國中央電視臺說，“東方之星”號的核定載客量爲534人。