Death toll climbs to 11 in ship collision

CHANGSHA - The death toll has climbed to 11 after two ships collided Friday afternoon in Central China's Hunan Province, local government said Saturday.

As of noon time, one person remained missing, said Liu Lanping, a spokesman with the city government of Yuanjiang.

A steel ship carrying 22 people collided with an unloaded sand carrier around 4 p.m. Friday at a river in Yuanjiang city. All the 22 onboard the steel ship fell into the river. Rescuers have salvaged 21 people, and 11 of them were confirmed dead, said Liu.

Searching for the missing one is still under way, and the cause of the accident is under investigation.