Eight dead after 'overloaded' boat capsizes in southwest China

Eight people died after a "seriously overloaded" government-owned boat capsized in southwestern China's Guizhou province earlier this week, Chinese authorities said on Wednesday.

Five people were rescued from the scene of the accident, which took place in Guizhou province on Monday, according to an online statement by the national emergency management ministry.

The boat was owned by the local town-level government, according to the statement, which called for "serious accountability" over the incident.

The vessel "engaged in passenger-carrying business activities in violation of regulations and was seriously overloaded," the ministry said.

Chinese outlet Caixin said the boat had been ferrying local villagers across the Pingzheng River to collect herbs from the other side.

Boats on that river typically don't carry passengers, one person near the site told Caixin.