At least seven people died and three are still missing in northwest China after a cargo and a passenger vessel collided at the weekend, the Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

The accident took place on the Hanjiang River in the Shaanxi province on Saturday afternoon. The passenger ship, which was badly damaged, sank with all 14 passengers onboard.

The agency said, citing rescue authorities, that seven bodies had been recovered by Monday morning with the search for the three missing continuing.

Chinese authorities banned sailing near the crash site for three days after the accident.