Bangladesh calls off salvage campaign; 44 bodies recovered

Tue, May 13 08:56 PM

Dhaka, May 13 (PTI) Bangladesh today abandoned the salvage campaign for a sunken vessel after rescuers retrieved 44 bodies following the riverine country's latest launch disaster in northern Kishorganj district. Officials called off the rescue searches declaring as "abandoned" the sunken MV Chandpur, which capsized on the Ghorautra river with more than 100 passengers on board late last evening.

Fire service divers did not find any more bodies inside the vessel, Deputy Commissioner, Kishorganj, Sultan Ahmed told reporters at the scene. But witnesses and relatives said over 30 people were still missing and feared to be carried away by strong currents in the river as officials handed over the retrieved bodies to family members.

Officials overseeing the salvage campaign earlier said fire service divers recovered 40 bodies since this morning and continued their search. Four bodies were recovered from the river hours after the accident.

The state-run Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority's (BIWTA) salvage vessel Rustom were called out earlier to salvage the launch lying under some 40 feet water as army troops and policemen joined hands with the fire service divers. Survivors said the two-deck ferry was overloaded with passengers and goods and it went down quickly as it was caught in a seasonal northwestern storm, usual in this part of the year.

PTI.

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