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YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, ARMENPRESS. The Cabinet of ministers says on August 4 at least 125 people presumed dead in Bangladesh ferry sinking, informs “Armenpress”.
More than 200 people were believed to be on board the M.V. Pinak when it capsized on Monday. Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan told reporters on Tuesday that at least 125 were presumed dead and 110 others either swam to safety or were rescued after the accident on the Padma river. Rescuers have not been able to locate the capsized ferry because of strong currents. Scores of people die in ferry accidents every year in Bangladesh, where boats are a common form of transportation. The Padma is one of the largest rivers in the delta nation, which is crisscrossed by more than 130 rivers.
It was unclear exactly how many people were on board the M.V. Pinak because ferry operators in Bangladesh rarely maintain passenger lists. Authorities and survivors estimated there were about 250-300 passengers, but the figure could not be confirmed. Many of the passengers aboard the vessel were returning from ancestral villages after celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
Poor safety standards and overcrowding are often blamed for the accidents. In May, about 50 people died in a ferry accident in the same district.