Six people have been confirmed dead and 12 others remained missing after a boat capsized on a river in southwest China's Guizhou Province Thursday afternoon, according to local authorities Friday.

Rescuers composed of police, emergency response officers, people from the transport and health departments in Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan are searching for the missing, and trying to lift up the capsized boat.

The vessel had 29 people on board when it capsized at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on the Beipan River. Eleven of them have been rescued.