On Monday, a ship carrying nearly 450 people on China’s Yangtze River capsized after an EF-1 tornado struck the area. According to the China Meteorological Administration, after investigating the area in which the storm hit, they confirmed that a tornado caused the ship to capsize. Currently, 410 people are missing, 14 have been rescued, and 26 bodies have been extracted from the river.

As the ship traveled down the Yangtze River, massive thunderstorms and gale force winds hindered the captain’s ability to keep control. According to authorities, the ship was not designed to handle such high winds, as they are not constructed in the fashion of an ocean-faring vessel that can withstand more powerful storms.

Officials from the China Meteorological Administration measured winds above 80 mph just before the ship capsized. The storm cell dropped over two inches of rain in just one hour across the river valley region.

Rescue efforts have been underway for the last 48 hours.  Over 180 divers are in waters of around 50 feet deep, attempting to extract more bodies. There are also efforts to cut holes in the ship to search for survivors.

By Alex Lemieux

Source:

Accuweather: Ship Capsizes in China’s Yangtze River Amid Stormy Weather, Hundreds Missing