13 killed as ferry capsizes in Bangladesh storm

The death toll in the ferry capsize in the Golachipa river in Bangladesh rose to 13 on Sunday with the recovery of five more bodies, police said. “Divers pulled out five bodies from the river in the morning,” Officer-in-charge of Golachipa police station Fakhruddin was quoted as saying by the Daily Sun. At least 25 passengers are still missing. “The members of Fire Service and Civil Defence and Bangladesh Coast Guard retrieved the bodies between 6:00am and 12:30pm today,” said Sayemuzzaman, chief executive officer of Galachipa union in Patuakhali district. Meanwhile, a rescue vessel left Barisal for Golachipa to salvage the sunken ferry, officials at Patuakhali River Port said. The ferry capsized in the river in Patuakhali district after the storm called ‘Kalboishakhi’ (nor’wester) hit Galachipa area on Saturday. Local residents said nearly a dozen people managed to swim ashore while the fire service, police and local residents launched a campaign with boats in search of the missing.   PTI