Bangladesh ferry sinks, at least 66 dead

An overcrowded river ferry, carrying more than 150 passengers, capsized after it collided with a cargo vessel in a Bangladesh river on Sunday, killing at least 66 people, officials said. It is not clear how many people are still missing.

The ferry was reportedly struck by a cargo vessel at the Daulatdia-Paturia crossing on the Padma River, and sunk within minutes on Sunday afternoon. It submerged to a depth of up to six meters, said Inspector Zihad Mia, who is overseeing the rescue operation.
Rescuers manages to save at least 50 passengers and are still searching for more survivors, regional police official Harun-ur Rashid told Reuters on Monday. As ferries in Bangladesh do not usually keep formal passenger lists, the officials have been unable to establish the exact number of passengers missing. Harun also said after the ferry was recovered t that 23 bodies had been found inside and another 43 bodies had been pulled from the water as the search operations continue.

A passenger who survived the accident said many people got trapped inside the ferry when a cargo vessel hit it in the middle and it sank. Another survivor, Al Amin (18), who talked to AFP described the tragic moments: "I was holding my mother's hand when the cargo boat hit our ferry from behind. Within minutes the ferry was sunk. Before I realised I was washed away to the middle of the river. I swam and a ferry rescued me, but I don't know what happened to my mom."

Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, which struggles with overcrowding and poverty. Earlier this month, at least seven people were killed in a ferry accident in southern Bangladesh, which is criss-crossed by more than 230 rivers.
The shipping minister Shajahan Khan told reports that an investigation had been launched.