DHAKA: Four people were confirmed dead and around 50 were unaccounted for in northeastern Bangladesh on Monday after a ferry sank in stormy weather, an official said.

The M.V. Nazimuddin carrying more than 100 people went down in the Ghorautra river on Monday afternoon, said Kishoreganj district police chief Mizanur Rahman.

"We have found four dead bodies so far. There were 100-plus passengers in the launch (ferry) and around 40 to 50 passengers swam to the shore," he said.

Fire brigade divers from the capital Dhaka were due to arrive at the spot early on Tuesday morning to begin a search of the sunken vessel, he added.

The scene of the accident is about 100 kilometres (62 miles) northeast of Dhaka.

Ferry accidents due to poor safety standards and overloading are common in Bangladesh, which is criss-crossed by a network of 230 rivers.

 

Source : PTI