At least 3 dead, dozens missing as boat sinks in Bangladesh
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA): At least three people died and 25 others went missing after a boat sank late Sunday in Bangladesh’s Buriganga river near the capital Dhaka after colliding with a sand-laden bulkhead, said officials.
The boat, which was carrying over 50 passengers, immediately sank after the collision, they said.
“We recovered seven people — three dead and four alive. Rescue operations are going on until we confirm the last missing passenger,” Mehedi Hassan Maruf, sub-inspector of the Sadarghat River Police, told Anadolu.
Abdul Malek Mollah, in charge of the diving team of the Fire Service and Civil Defense, said they rescued five people alive.
“The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is attempting to recover the boat. Once we manage to take it on land, we can determine if there are any bodies inside,” he said.
The collision occurred when the boat, which embarked from Dhaka’s Sadarghat water transport terminal, was heading towards its destination — Telghat Boat Terminal in Keraniganj, southwest of Dhaka.
Police have seized the bulkhead.
Bangladesh is crisscrossed by more than 500 rivers. Storms and cyclones, foggy weather in winter, lack of vessel fitness, unskilled drivers and overloading have been identified as the main causes of such accidents.
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