The incident took place on Saturday at 4:50 pm local time (8:50 GMT) when a ship designed to carry 40 people capsized on Zangke River, local authorities said in a statement, Sputnik news agency reported.
As of 08:10 am on Sunday, 31 people were rescued and 8 bodies were found in the water.
The search and rescue operation continues, and local law enforcement agencies are investigating the causes of the incident.
MA/PR