Bangladesh ferry investigation

Police believe at least a hundred people are still missing after the MV Miraz, a double-decker ferry loaded with goods, capsized after it was hit by three strong waves. Strong currents have hampered the rescue operation.

Relatives of the missing and the dead gathered at the Meghna River in the district of Munshiganj, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) southeast of the capital Dhaka, where the boat capsized Thursday afternoon. Television coverage showed recovered bodies, covered in cloth, on the banks of the river.

"The death toll now stands at 29, including 16 women and children," local police chief Ferdous Ahmed said.

Some relatives expressed their frustration with the rescue work: "I came here yesterday for my brother but I don't have any trace yet. Nobody can assure me of anything," said Lokman Hossain.

Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said an investigation would be carried out to discover if the vessel was overcrowded and if there was a design fault. The operators did not have a list of the people on board as Bangladeshi ferries do not maintain passenger logbooks.

The local police admitted they were still trying to locate the crew of the ferry, who may have left the area immediately after the accident. Police chief Ferdous Ahmed said: "We are looking for them." Some survivors blamed the captain of the ferry for refusing to take shelter from a gathering storm. Only 25 passengers managed to swim to safety when the vessel capsized.

In the low-lying country with more than 230 rivers, ferry accidents are common. In 2012, at least 150 people died in the same district when a ferry carrying up to 200 people capsized at night.

jm/msh (AFP, AP)