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15 killed after boat sinking in east China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-20 12:24

Related readings: 11 dead in east China boat accident

NANCHANG -- Rescuers retrieved four more bodies Saturday after a boat sank in east China's Jiangxi Province, bringing the death toll to 15.

The overloaded fishing boat carrying 44 people sank in Sanjiang River in Nanchang County of this provincial capital at 5:30 pm Friday.

The boat has a carrying capacity of 10 people.

Twenty-nine of those on board the boat were rescued.

The municipal government of Nanchang issued an order Friday night, asking relative authorities to speed up the construction of bridges to ensure safe transportation and properly compensate the families of the victims.

Head of the provincial public security administration Shu Xiaoqin said that all the passengers were employed by some private businessmen to cross the river by boat to pick up chufa, a water chestnut, in a village.