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At least 32 dead in Bangladesh boat crash

Authorities in Bangladesh said at least 32 people died, including eight women and three children, after a passenger boat collided with a large ferry and capsized on Monday. Photo by Monirul Alam/EPA-EFE
Authorities in Bangladesh said at least 32 people died, including eight women and three children, after a passenger boat collided with a large ferry and capsized on Monday. Photo by Monirul Alam/EPA-EFE

June 29 (UPI) -- At least 32 people died on Monday after a passenger boat collided with a ferry and capsized in Bangladesh.

The boat was carrying more than 50 passengers and at least eight women and three children were among the 32 bodies that were recovered from the site of the crash in the nation's capital of Dhaka.

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"We have so far recovered 32 bodies from the capsized ferry. We have already handed over the bodies to the relatives. A joint team of Navy, water authorities and private divers along with reiver police are working on the rescue mission," Bangladesh fire service official Shahidul Islam said.

The capsized boat, the Morning Bird, had completed a journey near the Sadarghat River Port when it collided with the Mayur-2, a large ferry, at around 8:55 a.m.

Local police chief Shah Jamal said that the larger boat was attempting to drop its anchor at the port on the River Buriganga when the crash occurred, adding that the Morning Bird sank within 15-20 seconds.

"Rescuers from a number of units are still continuing the operation," said Abdul Ahad, an official with Shampur Fire Station.

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Commodore Golam Sadeq of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority said the ship sank because of "carelessness" and added a four-member team would carry out an investigation and submit a report within 72 hours to determine the cause of the crash.

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