The death toll in the Padma launch capsize rose to 69 on Monday morning as the sunken vessel was salvages and pulled ashore. The dead are mostly women and children
Some other pasengers are still missing as a ferry launch carrying about 120 passengers sank in river Padma in Manikganj at about 11-45am on Sunday.
According to latest reports reaching Dhaka rescuers recovered 69 bodies of ill-fated passengers. 28 of the recovered bodies have so far been identified. The death figure might rise even further, they feared.Callous cruising lead to yet another ferry accident this time in River Padma in Manikganj district on Sunday, as ML Mostafa sank after being hit by a cargo vessel. According to reports the operators of the two vessels had competed to beat each other in speed.
The dead include three women one child and three men. 45 passengers have been rescued alive, some others have swam ashore on their own.The launch, ‘ML Mostafa’, sank in the middle of the river at after it was hit by ‘Nargis’ a cargo vessel while it was heading towards Daulatdia ferry ghat from Paturia ghat, said Enamul Haque, an official at Aricha River Port.
Divers of the Rajbari Fire Service and rescue vessel IT were engaged in rescue operation. At 3 pm IWTA rescue ship Hamza reached the spot of the accident to salvage the vessel.
Abdul Muktadir, in-charge of the local River Police told journalists that Fire Service divers along with River Police were engaged in rescue operations. Cargo vessel MV Nargis has been sieged. – News Desk
