The bodies of at least 27 people have been recovered so far from a river by rescuers in Bangladesh after a ferry sank on Sunday evening after being hit by another vessel in Narayanganj district. River accidents are not that infrequent in a riparian nation.

According to a report in Dhaka Tribune, the accident happened in Shitalakhhya river on Sunday evening when a cargo vessel hit the double-decker ferry carrying over 50 people. Some people managed to swim to the banks of the river, said Deepal Chandra Saha, the port police officer in charge. 

Among the dead are 16 women, 9 men, and two children. Some are still reportedly missing. 

Authorities have formed a seven-member probe committee, headed by an ADM rank official, to investigate the incident, informed Deputy Commissioner Mustain Billa. Apart from this, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport system also formed its own four-member inquiry committee.

There was also some delay in starting the rescue work due to the storm, said Abdullah Al Arefin, the deputy district director of fire services and civil defense. The operation is still ongoing to retrieve more bodies. 

In Bangladesh, which has around 130 rivers, these accidents are common and often attributed to overcrowding and weak regulations.