The death toll in the Chinese ship sinking has risen to 82 people.

(Baonghean.vn) - Chinese media reported that as of today, June 5th, the death toll from the capsized Chinese tourist boat on the Yangtze River has risen to 82. Authorities have begun retrieving the boat and stated that there is no chance of finding any survivors.

Praying for the victims of the shipwreck at a square in Jianli, China.

Rescue teams have launched a search operation for hundreds of bodies trapped inside the ship carrying 456 people that capsized in a monstrous cyclone on Monday night, June 1st. Only 14 survivors have been found so far, including the captain.

"In a situation where there is no longer any chance of finding survivors, we can start building the boat," Transport Ministry spokesman Xu Chengguang said at a press briefing late Thursday, June 4.

Rescue forces, primarily military personnel, worked through the night to prop the ship upright. Most of the four decks remained submerged, right in the middle of the river. Over 200 divers scoured the murky waters surrounding the hull, searching each cabin, but found no survivors. As of today, June 5th, the weather has significantly improved after days of heavy rain, which is favorable for the rescue workers.

"We were mentally prepared," said a 33-year-old woman named Gao, whose 58-year-old mother was on board the ship.

Given the seriousness of this incident, the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China has called on local authorities to take measures to help the affected families and to "protect social stability."

Some family members expressed anger at the lack of information, and many traveled to Jianli County in Hubei Province where the ship sank. On Thursday evening, hundreds of people with teary eyes knelt in the square of Jianli city, holding candles and flowers.

Relatives have asked the government to release the names of the survivors and the 82 fatalities so far, and they have also questioned why most of those rescued were crew members. Some have requested to know why the boat did not reach port during the storm, and how the captains and crew had time to put on life jackets but failed to sound the alarm.

Beijing has promised there will be no "cover-up" in the investigation. Police have arrested the ship's captain and engineer for questioning. An initial investigation found the vessel was not overloaded and had sufficient life jackets on board.

Phuong Thao

(According to Reuters)