3 killed, 14 missing in boat capsize in China

BEIJING: At least three persons were killed and 14 remained missing after a boat capsized off the coast of China's eastern Shandong Province in a suspected human smuggling case, authorities said today.

The boat sank last night in the sea near a port in the city of Rongcheng and all 22 people on board fell into the water, the county public security bureau said in a statement.

Five were saved and three have been confirmed dead.

The rest 14 missing are yet to be located.

An initial investigation said the boat was being used for human smuggling, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

It is not clear where the people were being smuggled to. Shandong province is located close to South and North Korea in China's east coast.