Beijing, Apr 14 (AP) Two people have been detained following the capsizing of a tourist boat on a river in northeastern China that led to the drowning deaths of 12 visitors, state media reported Sunday.

The accident occurred Saturday afternoon outside the city of Qinhuangdao near the coast of Hebei province, a few hour's drive from the capital Beijing.

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A total of 31 people were thrown into the water. The boat was made by local villagers and was unequipped with life jackets or other safety equipment, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The boat's owner and operator were held while an investigation into the accident was underway. China is a nation of powerful rivers and such deadly accidents used to be common before major safety improvements in recent years.

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China's tourist industry, and the economy in general, has struggled to recover following the partial lifting of heavy restrictions imposed by the authoritarian Communist Party in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Rural communities have long struggled to generate jobs and revenues, spurring the working age population to migrate to cities. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)