SHANGHAI - Two people were killed and another two missing when their yacht hit the cable of a cargo ship in East China's Jiangsu province on Wednesday, local maritime officials said.

Eight people, including six students of Shanghai Jiaotong University, a tour guide and a boat driver, were aboard when the accident happened at around 1 pm in Taihu lake in the city of Suzhou, the municipal maritime officials said.

One college student and the tour guide died after treatment failed in hospital. Four others were treated in hospital. Two students were missing,they said.

Search for the missing students in under way.

Wednesday is the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day, and the last day of the three-day national holiday.