Many feared dead as ferry capsizes

A river ferry carrying about 250 passengers capsized early today during a tropical storm in south-eastern Bangladesh and many were feared dead, police said.

Three other ferries also sank, although those on board were believed safe.

Many of the passengers on the capsized double-deck ferry were asleep when the accident occurred and were believed to be trapped inside, said Mohammad Dulal Miah, a police officer at the scene.

Police said eight bodies had been recovered. Some injured passengers were rescued from inside the vessel and about 50 others were able to swim ashore, police said.

“Even though the ferry sank close to shore, the river is turbulent here and it is hampering the rescue work,” Miah said.

The ferry, which was travelling to the capital, Dhaka, from the south-western Madaripur district, sank in the Meghna River near the town of Chandpur, about 65 kilometres southeast of Dhaka.

The three other ferries all went down during the storm, private TV station ATN Bangla reported.

One, a small boat, also sank in the Meghna River, in another part of Chandpur district. All those on board swam to shore or were rescued by fishing boats.

The two others, also small boats, capsized in the Padma River in Manikganj district, 25 kilometres north-west of Dhaka. The passengers were safe, the TV report said.

Ferry accidents are common in this South Asian nation criss-crossed by rivers.

A ferry capsized in Chandpur during a storm in July last year, killing more than 500 people.