Seventeen people have died in a dragon boat accident in southern China thought to have been caused by strong current.

One of the long, narrow boats packed with paddlers overturned on Saturday and another arriving at the scene also capsized, TV pictures showed.

In total, almost 60 people were tipped into the water, on a stretch of a river in the city of Guilin.

A rescue effort went on into the night with 40 survivors being pulled out.

Some 200 rescuers were sent to help, the Xinhua news agency reports.

Seventeen people have died in a dragon boat accident in southern China thought to have been caused by strong current.

One of the long, narrow boats packed with paddlers overturned on Saturday and another arriving at the scene also capsized, TV pictures showed.

In total, almost 60 people were tipped into the water, on a stretch of a river in the city of Guilin.

A rescue effort went on into the night with 40 survivors being pulled out.

Some 200 rescuers were sent to help, the Xinhua news agency reports.