The New Nation - Internet Edition

Netrakona Correspondent

At least five including four women and one minor girl drowned and over a dozen were reportedly missing after an engine-driven passenger boat with 40 to 50 passengers capsized in Kangsa river near Takurakona bazar under the district yesterday afternoon.

Police, fire service and witnesses said, the passenger boat was proceeding toward Sewtha Bazar of Barhatta upazila under the district from Takurakona bazaar under Netrakona sadar upazila.

Due to overloading the boat capsized in mid-stream of the river, as the boat was carrying passengers beyond its capacity.

Immediately after the accident, two separate rescue teams of police and fire service rushed to the spot and started its rescue operation along with the local people.

The rescue teams salvaged the boat from the downstream of the river and rescued four women and girl's bodies from inside the boat. But the bodies could not be identified immediately.

The rescue operation was on till filing of this report yesterday evening.