LOUHAJONG, Bangladesh (AP) – A passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people capsized Monday in central Bangladesh, killing at least two people and probably many more as horrified villagers watched from the shore, authorities said.
It was unclear exactly how many people were on board the M.V. Pinak because ferry operators in Bangladesh rarely maintain passenger lists. Local media said there were about 250 passengers, but the figure could not be immediately confirmed.
Azizul Haque, who was among at least 44 people who survived by swimming to shore, said he jumped overboard when it became clear the ferry was going down.
“The ferry went out of control due to wind and current, tilting from one side to the other,” Haque, 30, said. “Then the captain jumped out because he probably understood it was sinking. The river was rough, and there were many passengers on board.”
The ferry capsized in the Padma River in Munshiganj district, about 44 kilometers (28 miles) south of the capital, Dhaka.