MOSCOW - Russia's Investigation Committee (IC) on Friday fixed the number of passengers aboard the cruise ship that sank in Volga river in early July, saying there were 201 passengers but not 208.

"Investigations have established that there were 201 people on board during the river tragedy," IC spokesman Vladimir Markin was quoted by local media as saying.

He said that 79 of passengers were rescued, 114 were confirmed dead, and eight were still missing.

According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, rescuers are continuing the search for the missing and the lifting operation of the sunken Bulgaria boat is underway.

The 65-year-old Bulgaria cruise boat sank in Volga on July 10. Two crane boats had been sent to the site last week for salvaging the ship wreckage, which was lying at a depth of about 20 meters in the river.