China Rescue Hopes Dim for 400 Still Trapped on Capsized Ship

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JIANLI, China — Hopes dimmed Wednesday for rescuing more than 400 people still trapped inside a capsized cruise ship in the Yangtze River, as divers battled strong currents and struggled to enter the vessel.

The Eastern Star, carrying 456 people, overturned late Monday night in a storm, leaving only 14 survivors. The ship was traveling from the eastern city of Nanjing to the southwestern city of Chongqing when it capsized near Jianli in Hubei province.

Rescuers have so far recovered 82 bodies from the river, but the search and rescue operation remains difficult due to the strong currents and the fact that the ship is lying upside down.