They were among eight villagers from Tunjiang village, Supu town, in Qianxi County who took the small wooden boat to go shopping in the neighboring Xiuwen county, said sources with the provincial administration of production safety.

The boat sank on their return trip, at around 4:00 p.m. "It was only six meters from the river bank when it was engulfed by water, " said one official on condition of anonymity.

Only two villagers were rescued, both of whom were women.

The owner of the boat, a villager named Li Guangfu, was among the missing.

Rescue work is continuing and the local government has launched an investigation.