Launch capsize in Shitalakkhya: Death toll reaches 29
The death toll from yesterday's launch capsize in the Shitalakkhya river in Narayanganj reached 29 after two more bodies were recovered from the river this evening.
Nahida Barek, upazila nirbahi officer of Narayanganj Sadar upazila, confirmed the matter to reporters after the bodies were handed over to the families at Sayedpur-Koylaghat area tonight.
"The bodies of five people were recovered till 2am after a passenger launch sank after being hit by a cargo ship yesterday. The bodies of 22 more people were recovered till 5:30pm today. The bodies of two more missing persons were found floating in the river around 7pm," said the UNO.
"We have received complaint of 36 missing persons. Of them, 29 bodies have been recovered. Now, seven people are still missing," she said.
The 29 bodies include 15 women, eight men and six children.
The rescue operation will continue till tonight, our Narayanganj correspondent reports quoting the UNO.
The missing people are Anik Saha (12), Jakir (45), Jakir Hossain (45), Tanvir Hossain Rhidoy, Rizvi (20), Yusuf Kazi and Sohag Hawlader (23).
The launch named Sabit Al Hasan left Narayanganj Launch Terminal for Munshiganj with nearly 50 passengers at 5:56pm yesterday.
It capsized near the third Shitalakkhya Bridge at Koylaghat of Syedpur area when it was hit by a tanker, he said.
After the launch capsized, BIWTA, Fire Service and Civil Defence, and Coast Guard conducted rescue operation till 2:00am and recovered five bodies.
After a four-hour break, BIWTA resumed its rescue operation around 6:00am today.
Around 10:00am, the BIWTA rescue ship started its operation to salvage the sunken launch.
Twenty-two bodies were found inside the launch when it was pulled out of the water around 1:00pm today, Abdullah Arefin, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Narayanganj, told The Daily Star.
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