Survivors recall moments of horror

File photo of Zhang Shunwen

Zhang Shunwen, 52, captain of the ship

With wind at around three to four grade (about 12-28km/h) on the Beaufort scale, the captain tried to steer the ship but was unable to control the vessel and it capsized, according to a Xinhua report.

Zhang Shunwen said as the wind was coming from the South, he first tried to steer the ship northward on the leeside in an effort to counter it with the vessel's speed.

However, the wind suddenly gathered speed and he lost control of the cruise.

"We couldn't fend off the wind even if the wheel was hard aport." The hard aport is a nautical term that means a turn all the way over as far as the helm will allow in the direction of the port side of the vessel.

Zhang escaped alive and is in police custody, although he has not yet been accused of any wrongdoing.

Born in 1963, Zhang has been working for 35 years and became captain of the ship in 2007. Until the incident, Zhang was regarded as an effective captain and his experience as a sailor was flawless with numerous awards.

Zhang's wife was also an employee on the ship and she remains missing, according to China News Service.

Yang Zhongquan, 45, chief engineer

Yang Zhongquan said he had just gone back into the cabin after inspecting the deck when the water flooded into the engine room and the lights suddenly went out.

"I felt the ship topple over,"Yang was quoted by Xinhua.

In 2011, Yang was rated as a "five-star chief engineer" by the Changjiang Maritime Safety Administration.