Chinese ship capsizes on Yangtze with hundreds missing

Rescuers work on the capsized passenger ship in the Yangtze River, searching for missing passengers in Jianli, Hubei province, China, 2 June 2015. — Rescuers have found the boat and said they could hear people inside calling for help

A cruise ship carrying more than 450 people has capsized in a storm on the Yangtze River in China's southern Hubei province, says state media.

Xinhua news agency said rescuers have heard calls for help from the upturned boat. At least one person is confirmed dead and hundreds are missing.

The boat reportedly did not send out an SOS signal before sinking.

Media reports say several people who had swum to shore alerted the police with the help of fishermen.

Only about 10 people have been rescued so far, said Xinhua.

Premier Li Keqiang is travelling to the scene. He has ordered a team from the state council to lead the search and rescue operation, said Xinhua.

Rescue workers prepare to head out on boats on the Yangtze River to search for missing passengers after a ship capsized in central China's Hubei province Tuesday, 2 June 2015 — More than 10 boats have been deployed for search and rescue

Rescue teams gather near the scene of the sinking on the Yangtze river. 2 June 2015 — Local media said the rescue attempt had been hampered by rainy weather

The four-tier Dongfangzhixing - or Eastern Star - had been carrying 405 Chinese passengers, five travel agency employees and 47 crew.

Most of those on board were tourists aged around 50 to 80 on a tour organised by a Shanghai company, the People's Daily reported.

The boat was travelling from the eastern city of Nanjing to Chongqing in the south-west - a journey of some 1,500km (930 miles) - when it sank in the Damazhou section of the Yangtze in Jianli county.

The water there is about 15m (50ft) deep. Rescue work has been hampered by strong winds and heavy rain.

The BBC's Jo Floto in Beijing said that stretch of the Yangtze is known for its beauty and attracts many Chinese retiree holidaymakers.

Rescue workers are seen near the site where a ship sank, in the Jianli section of the Yangtze River, Hubei province, China, 2 June 2015 — The boat went down in a popular cruise area of the river

The captain and the chief engineer, who are among those rescued, were quoted as saying that the ship had been caught in a cyclone and sank quickly.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the vessel was owned by the Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation which runs tours to the scenic Three Gorges river canyon area along the Yangtze river.

Twenty-two people died on the river in January, when a tugboat undergoing tests capsized near Zhangjiagang, in Jiangsu province.