Xinhua says ship carrying hazardous goods sank in China's Yangtze river

November 1, 2009

According to Chinese state media Xinhua, a ship carrying a hazardous cargo has sunk into the Yangtze river. The vessel took its cargo of 100 tonnes of highly corrosive hydrochloric acid down with it after colliding with another vessel today.

The report cited an official with the Hubei Provincial Environmental Protection Department as saying "We are paying close attention to the water quality in this area," and that acidity is currently normal. The collision, attributed to strong winds, occurred in Jiangxi Province, where the stricken ship was registered.

The crew have been rescued and authorities say they have located the chemicals and are working to recover them. That process is expected to be completed early on Monday, according to Xinhua.