Bus carrying around 40 passengers fell into the Padma River at Dauladia terminal.
At least 16 bodies recovered, with several passengers still missing.
Crash occurred after ferry collision led driver to lose control, officials said.
Bangladesh Bus Falls Into River At Ferry Terminal, 16 Dead, Several Missing
Bus carrying Eid returnees plunges into Padma River at Rajbari; rescue teams recover bodies after hours-long operation.
Summary
At least 16 people have died and several others remain missing after a passenger bus plunged into a river while attempting to board a ferry in southwestern Bangladesh, officials said.
The accident took place at the Dauladia terminal in Rajbari district at around 5.15 pm on Wednesday, when the Dhaka-bound bus fell into the Padma River, according to PTI. Authorities estimated that about 40 passengers, including several children returning to the capital after Eid holidays, were on board.
Fire service official Sohel Rana said rescue teams recovered the submerged vehicle after hours of effort. “(Salvage vessel) Hamza retrieved the bus with its cranes and 14 bodies were found inside,” he told reporters at the scene. Earlier, divers had recovered the bodies of two women believed to be in their late 50s or early 60s. The bus was salvaged around midnight after nearly six hours of operations in rough weather, PTI reported.
Search efforts continued with fire service and coastguard divers, backed by the military and police, as teams looked for those still missing. According to PTI, about 11 passengers managed to swim ashore or were rescued shortly after the incident.
Officials and witnesses said the crash occurred after the driver lost control. “When the bus was heading towards the ferry from the pontoon, another smaller utility ferry hit the pontoon. It plunged into the river as the bus driver lost control of the steering,” terminal supervisor Monir Hossain said. “Right before our eyes, the bus fell into the river, but we could do nothing,” he added.
Doctors at the Dauladia health complex said two women were brought in dead, while another injured woman, who is a doctor, received treatment.
According to PTI, many of the passengers were members of the same family. Several survived as they were standing outside the bus, while their relatives remained inside when it went under.
Advertisement
Rajbari district administration officials said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had contacted them for updates on the salvage operation and ordered an investigation into the accident, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published At: