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Death toll in Bangladesh ferry accident rises to at least 49
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-17 18:31
GALACHIPA, Bangladesh - Officials at the scene of a ferry accident in
southern Bangladesh said they had discovered more bodies overnight bringing the
death toll to at least 49.
Thirty-eight bodies were found trapped in the sunken ferry by salvage teams
who worked through the night to raise the vessel, said local administrator at
the scene, Mesbah Uddin.
The salvage operation had now been called off.
"The number of bodies now recovered is 49. The boat has been completely
searched and all the bodies trapped inside have been removed. However, we will
continue scouring the river further downstream for more bodies," Uddin said on
Thursday.
Earlier, 11 bodies were found following the accident in a remote southern
area close to the mouth of the Bay of Bengal.
The boat was carrying villagers to a weekly market, as well as a wedding
party, according to reports. It was feared to have had far more than its
capacity of 80 people on board.
Officials said Monday they feared many bodies were washed away in stormy
weather and that the true number of dead could be more than 100.
The ferry went down on Sunday morning in high winds and strong currents on
the Char Kazal river near Galachipa, about 250 kilometres (150 miles) south of
Dhaka.
Among the dead were two men who swam ashore but died soon after.
Uddin said it was unlikely any passengers managed to save themselves as the
river was about four kilometres (2.5 miles) wide at the point where the boat
sank.
The river is known locally as Agunmukho river, or 'Mouth of the Fire' river
because of the strength of its currents.
Ferry accidents due to overloading and poor design claim many lives each year
in Bangladesh. In February, 150 people were killed when a ferry capsized in a
cyclone near Dhaka.
At least 3,000 people have died in more than 260 ferry accidents since 1977.
After February's tragedy, Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain pledged immediate
action to reduce the number of lives being lost.
He said previously announced measures such as modernisation of old ferries,
extra checks to ensure safety certificates are up to date and monitoring to
prevent overloading would be implemented straight away.
In March, the Bangladesh parliament also enacted a new law making it possible
for the first time to prosecute negligent ferry owners.
The delta nation is criss-crossed by a network of more than 230 rivers and
about 3,000 ferries provide daily transport for more than 100,000 people.
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