PM Modi expresses grief over China’s ship catastrophe

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed shock after a cruise ship carrying 458 people capsized in the Yangtze River in China’s Hubei province.

The prime minister took to his Chinese social media account, Weibo, and said, “I am shocked to learn of the sinking of a cruise ship in the Yangtze River. I pray for the safety and wellbeing of those on board.”

The boat, the Eastern Star, was full of tourists, with most of them aged around 50-80. The boat sank within a few minutes, with severe cyclone causing the ship to capsize.

Around 18 persons have been rescued so far, but heavy rain and strong wind are hampering the rescue efforts. More than 400 passengers on board are still missing.

Mr Modi, who made his debut on Sina Weibo, also referred as China’s Twitter, became the first Indian to open an account on China’s popular blogging site. Known as an ardent social media buff, Mr Modi once again used Sina Weibo, where he opened an account just ahead of his visit to China last month, to reach out to the Chinese people and expressed his grief over the latest catastrophe hitting the neighbouring country.

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