Six people went missing when a home-made boat sank in a river of
southwest China's Guizhou Province on Sunday, the local
government said on Monday.
They were among eight villagers from Tunjiang village, Supu
town, in Qianxi County who took the small wooden boat to go
shopping in the neighboring Xiuwen County, said sources with the
provincial administration of production safety.
The boat sank on their return trip, at around 4:00 PM. "It was
only six meters from the river bank when it was engulfed by water,”
said one official on condition of anonymity.
Only two villagers were rescued, both of whom were women. The
owner of the boat, a villager named Li Guangfu, was among the
missing.
Rescue work is continuing and the local government has launched
an investigation.
(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2007)