A ferry packed with about 200 people capsized in a river in southern Bangladesh and authorities said dozens of people were missing.
Local police chief Mohammad Shahabuddin Khan said about 35 people were rescued after the ferry sank on the Meghna River after colliding with a cargo boat. He said no bodies have been found yet.
The accident site is in Munshiganj district, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the capital, Dhaka.
Khan said rescue workers were trying to locate the sunken ferry, the MV Shariatpur-1. The ferry was traveling to Dhaka from neighboring Shariatpur district to the southwest.
Estimates as to how many people were on board the ferry varied.
Khan put the number at close to 200, while Dulal Dewan, a survivor, told reporters that about 300 people were on board when the ferry sank.
It is difficult to get a reliable estimate as ferry operators rarely keep a list of passengers. Most passengers buy tickets once on board.
Ferry accidents, often blamed on overcrowding, faulty vessels and lax rules, are common in Bangladesh, a low lying delta nation of 160 million people.
Dozens missing in Bangladesh ferry accident
A ferry packed with about 200 people capsized in a river in southern Bangladesh and authorities said dozens of people were missing.
Local police chief Mohammad Shahabuddin Khan said about 35 people were rescued after the ferry sank on the Meghna River after colliding with a cargo boat. He said no bodies have been found yet.
The accident site is in Munshiganj district, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the capital, Dhaka.
Khan said rescue workers were trying to locate the sunken ferry, the MV Shariatpur-1. The ferry was traveling to Dhaka from neighboring Shariatpur district to the southwest.
Estimates as to how many people were on board the ferry varied.
Khan put the number at close to 200, while Dulal Dewan, a survivor, told reporters that about 300 people were on board when the ferry sank.
It is difficult to get a reliable estimate as ferry operators rarely keep a list of passengers. Most passengers buy tickets once on board.
Ferry accidents, often blamed on overcrowding, faulty vessels and lax rules, are common in Bangladesh, a low lying delta nation of 160 million people.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos