2 dead, 7 missing after ship capsizes

NANJING - Two children died while seven others remain missing after a cargo ship capsized and sank early Wednesday at a port in east China's Jiangsu province, maritime authorities said.

The accident, involving a cargo ship docked at the port of Zhenjiang, happened at 2:25 am, according to Zhenjiang Municipal Marine Safety Bureau.

All 24 people on board were flung into the water, with 17 rescued, the bureau said, adding that two children died after medical treatment failed.

The bureau said the ship was carrying more than 10,000 tonnes of iron ore and reported no collision. The cause of the accident is being investigated.

Local authorities have dispatched rescue vessels to the site to search for the missing.