On Friday, a representative of the ship’s owner, Chongqing Oriental Ferry Company, bowed before a group of Chinese reporters and apologized for the accident, calling it a “catastrophic calamity,” according to the China News Service. The executive, Jiang Zhao, said the ship had been modified over the years according to maritime regulations.

As the more than 1,000 family members in Jianli begin to identify the bodies of their loved ones, the official Xinhua news agency said television stations would modify their programing to avoid lighthearted fare. In Jiangsu and Zhejiang, two eastern provinces that are home to many of the victims, broadcasters said they would halt all entertainment programs for two days, and the state broadcaster said it would suspend a popular talent show, “Avenue of the Stars.”

After days of complaining about a lack of information — and about having their movements constrained by government minders — some family members expressed relief that they would finally be able to begin preparing funeral arrangements.

Interviewed by phone, a 25-year-old woman from Shanghai whose 51-year-old mother was among the victims, criticized the government’s handling of the recovery process but said she was pleased that local officials were organizing a riverside memorial service for families from Shanghai on Saturday night.

The woman, who asked that her name not be used for fear of angering the authorities, said she was especially moved by the generosity of residents in Jianli. “When we went to a local shop to print photos and buy flowers, the store owners refused to take our money,” she said. “The people here have been very kind.”