Photos show inside of sunken Chinese vessel Eastern Star

A new series of photos posted online give a haunting glimpse inside the doomed Chinese cruise vessel Eastern Star.

The four-storey ship capsized on the Yangtze River in China's Hubei province during a storm on Jun 1, with 456 people on board.

Only 14 people were rescued alive, and the remaining 432 died.

Five days after the tragic incident, the vessel was righted and raised out of the water so authorities could search for the missing bodies.

These images of what the ship now looks like were published by China Youth Daily, which was able to go on board the ship with recovery crews.

The photos show damaged ceilings and corridors, exposed wires, and cupboards and cabinets rusted from being submerged in the water, Shanghaiist reported.

One photo shows a board with the ship's name with hardly and sign of damage, while another showed passengers' personal belongings, including luggage, phones and even a ticket for a Chongqing-Shanghai train service.

According to China Daily, more than 2,000 rescuers and 200 ships are participating in the search for the missing and recovery of victims' bodies.

seanyap@sph.com.sg