Two Chinese dragon boats capsize in river, 17 killed

Two dragon boats that capsized sit in the water on the Taohua River in Guilin in southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Saturday, April 21, 2018. (Chinatopix via AP)

• The boat capsized when it entered an area of water where two rivers converge creating dangerously strong currents
• A second boat arrived at the scene which also capsized in the dangerous waters

BEIJING: Two dragon boats practicing to race on a river in China have overturned and 17 people drowned, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
Television pictures showed one of the long, narrow boats packed with paddlers going over on Saturday on a stretch of a river near the city of Guilin where the current appeared to be strong.
Another dragon boat arrived at the scene, also full of paddlers, and it too capsized, the pictures showed.
Xinhua said 57 people had gone into the water and 200 rescuers were sent to help. The rescue effort went on late into the night.
The accident happened where two flows of the river converge causing a powerful current, the CCTV broadcaster said. Most of those who went into the river were not wearing life jackets, media reported.
Two people had been detained in connection with the accident, Xinhua said.
Drag boat racing is popular in various parts of Asia and the Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional holiday in China, this year on June 18.