21 dead, 1 missing after tug boat sinks in Yangtze river

Chinese authorities have confirmed that 21 people were killed and one is still missing after a tug boat undergoing sea trials sank in the Yangtze River, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The boat had 25 people on board when it sank on Thursday and three were rescued.

Xinhua reported on Friday that seven or eight foreigners were on the boat, including citizens of Singapore and Japan. A French citizen may also have been among the missing.

Sembcorp Marine Ltd, a Singapore-based shipbuilder, had said on Friday the tug boat that its subsidiary, Jurong Marine Services Pte Ltd, had planned to charter sank during a sea trial. Three of the company’s employees were on board.

Sembcorp Marine is part of Sembcorp Industries Ltd, an industrial conglomerate with Singapore’s state investor Temasek Holdings being the biggest shareholder.