Stricken Chinese cruise ship lifted
from Yangtze River; 331 bodies
recovered
The Eastern Star is upright once again, looking
almost normal with its bottom resting on the water
and its deck and cabins clear above it.
The ship's positioning Friday was a step forward in
the dayslong nightmare playing out on a section of
the Yangtze River that flows through Hubei province.
It means answers should be easier to come by as to
why the Eastern Star capsized Monday night and
what can be done to prevent similar tragedies in the
future.
It also means closure could be coming soon to
hundreds of families.
By 8 a.m. Saturday (2 p.m. West African time Friday),
331 bodies had been recovered, according to
Chinese state media. There are 111 people still
unaccounted for.
Of the 456 people on board, 14 survived. But
rescuers have had no luck since Tuesday, when a 21-
year-old sailor and 65-year-old woman were plucked
from the water.
Authorities say the chances of more miracles have
dwindled with each passing day. And the salvage
process has begun.
That process involved huge floating cranes that set
up alongside the overturned river cruise ship,
dropped cables and hooks into the water, rolled the
ship upright and raised it to the surface. About 50
divers took part overnight Thursday by tying slings
around the 2,200-ton vessel.
State-run news agency tweeted pictures of the
Eastern Star after this happened Friday. Parts of its
top level looked smashed, but the other levels
appeared largely intact. By draining the ship, the
idea is that it could again float on its own.
