DHAKA, Bangladesh
The bodies of 29 people who died when a ferry capsized in Bangladesh have been recovered, police have said.
Local police chief Shaidul Islam said on Friday that more than 50 people had also been rescued alive from the ferry which sank in the Meghna river the day before, 50 kilometers from the capital, Dhaka.
Twenty-six bodies had been identified and 20 handed over to their family members and relatives, said Islam.
It is feared the death toll may rise as others remain missing.
- Overloaded vessel
Survivors and witnesses said the ferry, which had 300 passengers on board, sank as it was overloaded and hit by a storm as it made its way from Dhaka to the southern district of Shariatpur.
Shipping minister Shajahan Khan and other government officials supervised the rescue operations.
The government has assembled an investigation team and requested a report be filed within seven days.
The incident is the second ferry accident within two weeks in Bangladesh.
At least 15 people died in a similar accident on the Golachipa River in the southern district of Patuakhali on 3 May.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
