中国一艘客轮在长江倾覆,多人下落不明

Rescue crews in central China continued Tuesday to search for survivors after a passenger ship carrying 450 people sank during a storm in the Yangtze River.

The Xinhua news agency says only 12 people have been rescued and five bodies recovered so far. Heavy winds and rain are hampering efforts to find others.

The People's Daily newspaper said five more passengers have been located in the ship's cabin and that a rescue effort is under way. Earlier, a 65-year-old woman was pulled from the water.

Many passengers are believed to be trapped inside. Rescuers report hearing cries for help from inside the capsized vessel, according to state media reports.

The cause of the accident is not clear. The vessel ((Dongfangzhixing or Eastern Star)) was headed from Nanjing to Chongqing city in southwest China when it sank quickly during what were described as cyclone conditions.

Premier Li Keqiang is personally overseeing rescue efforts, and arrived early Tuesday at the rescue site with a work team from the State Council ((China's chief administrative body)), according to Xinhua.

President Xi Jinping has demanded an "all-out" effort to rescue the passengers, most of whom are believed to be between 50 and 80 years old, according to state media.

China's state broadcaster, CCTV said the vessel was capable of holding up to 534 people.一艘载有450人的客轮在长江行驶途中遭遇风暴后沉没，救援人员星期二继续寻找幸免遇难者。

新华社说，截至星期二凌晨，只有12人获救，并打捞上五具遗体。狂风暴雨阻碍了搜救行动。

《人民日报》通过推特报道，发现有五名乘客困在船舱内，目前正设法解救。早些时候，一名65岁的妇女获救。

据信很多乘客目前仍困在舱内。据中国官方媒体报道，救援人员报告说，可以听到从这艘倾覆的客轮里传出的呼救声。

目前还不清楚造成事故的原因。“东方之星”号客轮从南京驶往重庆途中遭遇龙卷风后，很快便沉没了。

新华社说，中国总理李克强星期二清晨率救援人员抵达救援地点，亲自负责救援行动。

中国国家主席习近平要求全力以赴营救乘客。中国官方媒体说，大部分乘客的年龄在50至80岁之间。

中国中央电视台说，“东方之星”号的核定载客量为534人。