Over 150 passengers missing as ferry sinks in Bangladesh

[Sugarcane]

DHAKA — A ferry carrying more than 250 passengers sank in a south Bangladesh river on Tuesday after colliding with a barge, and at least 150 people are still missing, police and witnesses said.

The accident occurred on the Meghna river in Munshiganj district, some 50 km (31 miles) south of the capital.

Mohammad Azizul Alam, deputy commissioner for the district, said the Dhaka-bound ferry, the MV Shariatpur-1, was hit by the oil-laden barge early in the morning.

At least 50 people managed to swim ashore from the sunken vessel, and a search is being conducted for the rest of the passengers.

Ferry accidents are common on Bangladesh's rivers and several people are killed every year.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters.

 

[scholseys]

utter tragedy

 

[Roybot]

Grim news. RIP.

I never quite understand why South Asians are such poor swimmers. In a flood prone country like Bangladesh, everyone should know how to swim.

 

[Filmmaker]

Very sad news

 

[Sugarcane]

Grim news. RIP.
.......

News doesn't say that there are deaths

I hope all will survive

 

[Roybot]

News doesn't say that there are deaths

I hope all will survive

Bangladeshi new channels are reporting death.

At least 12 dead in Meghna capsize | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

I too hope majority of them survive.

RIP.
South Asians have poor nutritional standards so they lack energy to swim.

Its not that, they don't know how to swim at all, I remember reading somewhere that only 1% of the total Bangladeshi population can swim. It must be the same or even worse for India, Pakistan.

Its definitely a cultural thing.

 

[Shardul.....the lion]

RIP to dead.

But in villages in Maharastra, most kids and adults know how to swim. I dont know about Urban areas.

 

[scholseys]

Swimming in a big *** river is different to swimming in a pond.

 

[kobiraaz]

Grim news. RIP.

I never quite understand why South Asians are such poor swimmers. In a flood prone country like Bangladesh, everyone should know how to swim.

I can't swim. But my cousin who is a superb swimmer told me in rivers like Meghna it is impossible for many people to swim to shore even after knowing how to swim

 

[LaBong]

Meghna near delta is almost a sea, it's not easy to cross it by swimming. It's pretty hard to swim in river current anyway.

 

[Roybot]

I can't swim. But my cousin who is a superb swimmer told me in rivers like Meghna it is impossible for many people to swim to shore even after knowing how to swim

Is it because of strong current in the river? Even then chances of surviving will definitely increase if you know how to swim.

 

[LaBong]

Is it because of strong current in the river? Even then chances of surviving will definitely increase if you know how to swim.

Look at the delta. It will be hundreds of miles wide!

 

[Roybot]

Look at the delta. It will be hundreds of miles wide!

But the Ferry capsized near Munshiganj, which is nowhere near the delta.

 

[LaBong]

But the Ferry capsized near Munshiganj, which is nowhere near the delta.

Yes, but it's still pretty wide.

 

[Roybot]

Yes, but it's still pretty wide.

Yeah true weak swimmers would struggle, but as I said their chances of survival would increase. At most they would have to swim across half the width of the river, not bank to bank. 50 people survived by swimming to the shore, if more knew how to swim they would have a chance too.

People should learn how to swim.