Ship Catches Fire; at Least 102 Killed

A ship in a violent storm caught fire and cracked open off the coast of eastern China, leaving 102 people confirmed dead and many others missing, the official New China News Agency reported. The boat was carrying 312 people when it wrecked in gale-force winds and towering waves near the Shandong port of Yantai, the report said. A distress signal was sent out when flames were found on its second deck, but ships in the area were unable to approach the vessel due to the weather conditions. The fire spread to the third deck, and the main helm of the ship broke apart about four hours later. The report cited rescue workers who said only 20 people had been rescued by this afternoon. The cause of the fire was under investigation.