Authorities blame cruise ship catastrophe on bad weather

Authorities are blaming the June sinking of a cruise ship on the Yangtze River that killed 442 people primarily on violent weather, The New York Times reported.  “The capacity of the Oriental Star to withstand winds and resist overturning was in line with the regulatory requirements, but it was not enough to withstand the extremely bad weather that it encountered,” according to a report published online by the State Administration of Work and Safety. The report, issued six months after an outbreak of outrage and suspicion of negligence, took pains describe the efforts of investigators from six ministries and agencies, as well as other branches of government.