A minimum of 25 folks had been killed and over a dozen are lacking after a ship overturned in a river in Bangladesh.

The our bodies of 12 ladies and eight kids have thus far been recovered, stated Jahurul Islam, district administrator of northern Panchagarh, the place the accident occurred on Sunday.

“The rescue operation for these lacking is ongoing,” he stated, including the ferry was primarily carrying folks to a Hindu temple to rejoice the event of Mahalaya, which pays respect to ancestors.

Passengers stated greater than 70 folks had been on the boat, which sank within the Karatoya river. Some managed to swim ashore or had been rescued however round 20 individuals are nonetheless lacking, police stated.

The engine-run boat overturned close to Awalia ghat underneath Maria union round 1.30 pm when it was heading in the direction of Bodeshari Hindu temple underneath Borososhi union, stated Sujoy Kumar Roy, officer-in-charge of Boda Police Station.

This isn’t the primary boat-related accident in Bangladesh.

In March 2022, rescuers recovered six our bodies after a cargo vessel hit a ferry carrying dozens of individuals alongside a river outdoors Bangladesh’s capital.

Fireplace service official Rozina Akhter stated they may not decide what number of had been on board the ferry. Native media reported between 30 and 50 folks had been on the ferry when the collision occurred in Narayanganj, simply outdoors Dhaka.

In one other 2021 incident, a passenger boat carrying greater than 100 folks sank after a collision in a big pond in Bangladesh, and officers stated 21 folks had been lifeless and about 50 went lacking.

A witness stated two cargo vessels hit the boat, which sank shortly, Dhaka-based The Each day Star newspaper reported.

“I used to be grazing cattle on the financial institution of the pond. I heard a loud noise and noticed the cargo vessels hitting the passenger trawler. I noticed the trawler sinking shortly,” witness Nurul Amin instructed the paper.

Bangladesh is a delta nation the place water transport is closely used to maneuver folks and items, however lethal accidents are frequent due to unskilled operations and poor enforcement of security guidelines.