State media reports stated that sudden strong winds capsized a boat on Sunday in the river in Qianxi city of Gitzhou, causing 84 people to fall into the water. The death toll has jumped from nine after the body of one missing person was found Monday.
The incident occurred as China celebrated the end of its May Day holiday, the peak travel season.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping had previously urged “full efforts” in search and rescue.
President XI pointed out that other similar accidents have been happening recently, highlighting the importance of strengthening safety measures, state media said.
Chinese authorities have been told to strengthen public safety measures throughout the peak of the tourism season.
Sunday’s incident saw a passenger ship struck an industrial ship in China’s Hunan province just two months after 11 people died in another accident.
Another accident occurred over the weekend in the eastern city of Suzhou. A tourist helicopter crashed in a newly opened park, killing one person and four injured.
rhm/