Seven bodies were retrieved from the river while around 35 people were still missing after a small passenger ferry sank in a river after it was caught in a storm Saturday afternoon, an official said.
Badrul Alam, port officer of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) who is supervising the rescue operation at the site, told Xinhua by phone that the small ferry was bound for the coastal district of Patuakhali from Rangabari.
The ferry, carrying around 55 passengers, sank in the Kalagachi river after it was caught in a strong storm at about 3.25 p.m.
Alam said around 20 passengers swam to safety. A ferry passenger said that over 25 people were in the cabin and the door was shut.
The local people immediately started a rescue operation and retrieved the bodies from the river. There might be more bodies inside the ferry, Alam said.
He added that salvage ship Rustam, stationed at Barisal, has departed for Patuakhali but it would take at least eight hours for it to arrive at the scene of the accident.
