Beijing: Seven people were confirmed dead and at least 430 remained missing today, following the capsizing of a cruise ship in Asia's longest river Yangtze in central China as more than 4,000 rescue workers race against time to find survivors amid rough weather conditions.

So far 14 people have been rescued and there could be more survivors in the upturned wreckage, but strong winds and heavy rain are hampering rescue efforts, rescuers said. The Eastern Star sank "within one or two minutes" of being caught in a tornado in Jianli, central Hubei Province, on Monday night, according to the ship's captain and chief engineer, who both survived the incident and later arrested for questioning.