Dhaka - The death toll from the sinking of a storm-battered
ferry in central Bangladesh climbed to 46 when four more bodies were
pulled from the swirling water overnight, officials and survivors
said on Thursday.
Forty-six bodies were salvaged from the Ghorautra river since the
rescue and search operation was launched early Tuesday, said
assistant police commissioner Asad uz Zaman.
Fire Department divers said chances of finding any more survivors
were slim after bodies of four children popped up in the river late
Wednesday.
Earlier reports said a river ferry with an estimated 200 farm
workers on board began sinking after it was caught in a tropical
whirlwind.
Some 50 passengers went missing in the mishap which occurred near
the town of Kishoreganj, 230 kilometres east of the capital Dhaka.
Many passengers managed to swim to shore on their own while
several other were picked up by passing boatmen, survivor Sohrab
Hussain said.
Zaman said police rescuers backed by local civilian volunteers
plucked the bodies of the victims from the water. Hospital sources
said the death toll from the ferry tragedy could rise further.
'Residents of a nearby village rushed in to help with rescue
operations,' Zaman said.
Rescuers said a search operation was going on amid fears that many
bodies were washed away by the river current.
A probe team has blamed the ferry disaster on alleged faulty
design of the vessel, which used the hull of an old fishing trawler.
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