Barisal, Feb 19 (bdnews24.com) – At least one person drowned and fifty were missing after a passenger launch capsized in the Kirtankhola river near Barisal town early Thursday.
The accident occurred at Beltala around 6:30am when a sand-laden cargo vessel hit the ML Happy that was carrying over 100 passengers.
Barisal deputy commissioner Mushfiq Ahmed Shamim, quoting BIWTA authorities and Kotwali police, told bdnews24.com that a woman's body had been recovered so far.
He said many passengers had swum to safety but some 50 people remained missing at around 10am.
A rescue launch reached the spot some two hours after the accident, he said.
The ML Happy was heading towards Patarhat from Barisal. The accident occured some 3km out from the district town.
bdnews24.com/corr/su/wz/rah/1116 hours
