Tourist boats capsize in sudden storm in southwest China, leaving 9 dead, 1 missing  

Four boats capsized in a sudden storm on a river in southwestern China, leaving nine people dead and one missing, state media said Monday.

More than 80 people fell into the water when strong winds hit the scenic area in Guizhou province on Sunday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV said.

The boats capsized after a sudden rain and hail storm hit the upper reaches of the Wu River, a tributary of the Yangtze, China’s longest river. In one video shared by state media, a man could be seen performing CPR on another person, while one of the vessels drifted upside down.

Initial reports said two tourist boats had capsized, but state media said on Monday that four boats were involved. The other two boats had no passengers, and the seven crew members were able to save themselves, CCTV said.

Guizhou’s mountains and rivers are a major tourism draw, and many Chinese are travelling during a five-day national holiday that ends Monday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out efforts” to find the missing and care for the injured, the official Xinhua News Agency said on Sunday.

Noting a recent series of fatal accidents, Xi underscored the importance of strengthening safety at tourist attractions, large public venues and residential communities, as well as for the rush of people returning at the end of holidays.

CCTV said the capsized boats each had a maximum capacity of about 40 people and were not overloaded.

An eyewitness told state-owned Beijing News the waters were deep but that some people had managed to swim to safety. However, the storm had come suddenly and a thick mist obscured the surface of the river.