The accident took place yesterday when a private boat with 18 people on board sank on the Jiugongqiao section of Zijiang River.
Nine people have been rescued, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.
The preliminary investigation shows that the boat got into difficulty due to the strong current.
According to a member of staff with local maritime bureau, the boat should only carry at most eight passengers.
"The boat started to sink and everybody fell into the water," one survivor said, whose husband died in the accident.
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The boat sank on the return journey.
Among the passengers was a 61-year-old and a one-year-old infant. It is unclear whether they survived or not.
Seven of the nine rescued people have been discharged from hospital.