Death toll rises to at least 65 in Bangladesh ferry disaster

Rescue workers recover the body of a child after a ferry capsized in the Padma river near Manikganj, Bangladesh, February 22, 2015. [Photo/IC]

DHAKA, Bangladesh - The death toll from a weekend ferry disaster in central Bangladesh rose to 65 as divers searched for bodies Monday in the latest mishap in the South Asian nation.

Up to 140 passengers were thought to be on the river ferry when it capsized Sunday afternoon after being hit by a cargo vessel.

The accident happened on the Padma River about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Dhaka, the capital. Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by more than 130 rivers.

The ferry, the M.L. Mosta, was 6 meters (20 feet) under water, said Inspector Zihad Mia, who is overseeing the rescue operation.

On Monday, a salvage ship was engaged to recover the ferry, Mia said.

Rescuers recovered 48 bodies on Sunday, and by Monday morning another 17 bodies had been found, according to a police control room at the scene.

Mia said officials had yet to determine how many passengers were missing. Ferries in Bangladesh usually do not maintain formal passenger lists.

"We don't have a clear picture about how many were exactly on the ferry when it sank," Mia said. "But I think many have survived."

Jewel Mia, an official from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, told reporters at the scene that up to 140 people were on board when the ferry sank.

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