The Death Toll Of The Feri Vessel Sinks In Bangladesh Moving So 61 People

Illustration of a ferry in Bangladesh. (Wikimedia Commons/Lonely Explorer)

JAKARTA - The death toll from the sinking of a packed ferry brought Hindus in northern Bangladesh to 61 on Tuesday, with many passengers still missing two days after the disaster.

Residents and relatives who lost family members gathered along the riverbank as rescue teams searched for bodies, witnesses said.

"I just want to see my mother's face," saidatur Chandra Roy, crying while looking for her mother, while her son was rescued.

The dead victims found so far include 28 women and 18 children, said Jahurul Islam, head administrator of northern Panchagarh district, where the accident occurred.

"Drivers are looking for other dead victims, as some are still missing," he said, adding that the ferry had brought Hindus to a shrine at the Mahalaya celebration, when Hindus made offerings to their ancestors.

Separately, a five-member committee is investigating Sunday's sinking. Initial reports suggest the ship carries nearly three times its capacity, Islam said.

Meanwhile, the police said that several passengers managed to swim to the edge or were rescued, about 10 people were still missing.

Passengers said more than 80 people had been on board when the incident occurred.

It is known, the death toll this time was the worst for a maritime catastrophe in the country since 2015, when at least 78 people died, as a packed ferry collided with a cargo ship in the western river of the capital, Dhaka.

Dozens of people die each year in ferries in Bangladesh, a lowland country that has a large inland waterway.