Dhaka, July 15: The wreck of the ferry carrying about 800 passengers, which sank in Bangladesh last week, has been found but strong river currents stymied attempts of salvaging the wreckage even as toll in the disaster rose to 182. A Bangladeshi navy ship used sonar to find the M V Nasreen 37 meters under the Meghna River, media reports said, adding that divers could not reach there due to strong river current.

The ferry was probably lying at depth of 120 feet, but strong river current prevented divers from reaching the depths, a private television channel reported this morning.

Officials said that salvaging the ferry may not be possible due to inclement weather conditions and dead bodies, if trapped, could be recovered by cutting the wreckage. Meanwhile, a total of 182 bodies have so far been recovered and another 350 people, whose bodies have yet to be found, died, reports quoting rescue officials said.

The bodies were found yesterday and today, washed ashore a few kilometers downstream from southeastern Chandpur where the ferry sank.

The double-deck ferry sank in the turbulent waters of River Meghna on Tuesday last near Chandpur, 43 kms from here. The bodies were so bloated and decomposed that they could not be moved and were buried on the shore.

The ferry which had an official capacity of 350 passengers was carrying more than twice that number. Investigators have said overcrowding may have caused the disaster.

Bureau Report