More than 110 bodies recovered after ferry accidents

The AssociatedPress

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- Rescue workers have recovered more than 110 bodies after two ferry boats capsized during tropical storms on different Bangladeshi rivers, and hundreds of people remained missing, authorities said Tuesday.

Some 108 bodies, including those of women and children, were recovered after a double-decker ferry, MV Mitali, sank Monday in the Buriganga River near the capital, Dhaka, the Shipping Ministry said.

Rescue workers using huge cranes partially lifted the sunken boat from the river bed and towed it closer to shore. Authorities have ordered another salvage ship to try to completely lift the boat, where many bodies are believed to be trapped inside.

More than 200 people still were missing from that ferry.

Survivors said the ferry's crew ignored passengers' pleas to return to shore as bad weather approached. They said dark clouds enveloped the river when the storm hit.

"We pleaded with the crew to turn and steer the boat closer to shore. But they ignored us and told us get back to our cabins," said Mohammad Iqbal, a survivor waiting on the river bank for news of his missing wife and sister.

Hasina Begum, a school teacher, wept in front of the body of her 2-year-old daughter, Mithila, who died in the accident.

"I could not save my daughter. I've no right to live," said Begum, who was returning to her home in southern Bangladesh after attending a conference in Dhaka. "My little daughter wanted to see Dhaka city."

Bangladesh media reports said the ferry was carrying up to 400 passengers, but some managed to swim ashore.

"The death toll is certain to rise," said Selim Newaz Chowdhury, public relations officer at the Bangladesh Fire Brigade, which is conducting the rescue work. "No one really knows how many people were on board the ferry or how many of them survived."

Ferries in Bangladesh do not always keep a list of passengers, making it difficult to determine the exact number.

Earlier Monday, the ML Majlishpur ferry, carrying about 90 members of a wedding party, capsized in the Meghna River, 50 miles northeast of Dhaka.

Authorities said about 30 passengers swam ashore, but the others, including the bride, were missing and feared dead. Five bodies were recovered by Tuesday, said Priyatosh Shah, a government administrator in the area.

In response to the two accidents, the government banned nighttime travel by ferries and other river vessels during the April-May storm season, the Shipping Ministry said. Authorities also ordered inquiries into the two disasters.

The accidents occurred as strong winds and rain lashed the South Asian country. During storms in the north Monday, at least a dozen people were killed and hundreds of flimsy homes were damaged by falling trees and electricity poles.

Tropical storms are common this time of year in Bangladesh, a delta nation of 130 million people, as are boating accidents. On Sunday, storms killed at least seven people and injured 50 others, officials and news reports said.

Twenty-two people died when a double-decker ferry carrying about 200 passengers sank April 12 in the Nagchinni River in northern Kishoreganj district.