NANJING - Five people have been killed in a boat accident in the Yangtze River in East China's Jiangsu province, local authorities reported Friday.

Another 14 people were rescued after the boat, which was carrying 19 construction workers, capsized at around 11:40 Thursday in the Qiganhe section of the Yangtze River in the city of Zhangjiagang, said a spokesman with the city government.

The workers were from a waterworks construction company, which had undertaken a road bridge construction project. They were heading across the river to have lunch when the accident happened, according to the spokesman.

Investigators blamed overloading for the accident, though further investigations are under way, said the spokesman.