8 Dead in Bangladesh Ferry Sinking

It's not clear how many remain missing; more than 100 were onboard
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 15, 2014 12:42 PM CDT
8 Dead in Bangladesh Ferry Sinking
Bangladeshi people gather on the banks of the River Meghna after a ferry carrying more than 100 passengers capsized and sank after being hit by a storm in Munshiganj district, Bangladesh, May 15, 2014.   (AP Photo/Sony Ramany)

A ferry carrying more than 100 passengers capsized and sank today in a river in central Bangladesh after being hit by a storm, and eight bodies have been recovered, an official says. Many people swam to safety after the accident and it was unclear how many remained missing, local government administrator Saiful Hasan said. Ferries in Bangladesh often don't have accurate passenger manifests.

He said the MV Miraz-4 ferry sank in the River Meghna as it was traveling toward Shariatpur from the capital, Dhaka. Hasan said there was confusion about the number of missing people. Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, a low-lying delta nation, because of overcrowding, faulty vessels, and lax rules. (More ferry accident stories.)

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