IT APPEARS to have been the deadliest disaster on water in the 66-year history of Communist-ruled China, and the worst accidental loss of life during the tenure of President Xi Jinping. On the evening of June 1st the Oriental Star, a tourist ferry with 458 people on board—most of them old—capsized on the Yangzi river in what officials described as a tornado (the upturned hull is pictured above). By the time The Economist went to press, official media had reported the rescue of 14 passengers and crew (the captain and an engineer were detained). It was feared that the others on board were unlikely to have survived.
The stakes for any government are high when an accident this horrible occurs. In South Korea last year the poor response to the sinking of a ferry, which left 304 dead, severely tarnished the image of that country’s president, Park Geun-hye. Following the Yangzi disaster, China’s state media were quick to note Mr Xi’s urgent instructions on the rescue. The prime minister, Li Keqiang, flew to oversee the effort.
The media have carefully controlled the flow of...Continue reading
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