At least 28 die as river boat sinks in China
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-03-16 16:11

At least 28 people died when a boat registered to carry only two passengers sank on the Youxi river in southwest China's Sichuan province, a local official said.

The accident occurred on Wednesday when the boat was transporting farmers home from a rural fair, said the official, surnamed Yang, with the Yuechi county bureau of work safety.

The victims included elderly people and children.

Only 10 survivors had so far been confirmed and rescuers believed the death toll could rise, Yang said.

"We don't know exactly how many people were on the boat when it sank," said Yang. He said the cause of the accident was still under investigation.

The boat, owned by a local farmer, had been transporting people across the river illegally, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported, confirming that it was registered to carry just two passengers.

The river where the accident occurred was about 20 meters (66 feet) wide and three meters deep, Xinhua said.