Dhaka, Mar 26 (PTI): At least 16 people have died and several others remain missing after a bus plunged into a river in Bangladesh while attempting to get onto a transport ferry, officials said.

The accident happened in the southwestern district of Rajbari at the Dauladia terminal when the bus fell into the Padma River at about 5.15 pm on Wednesday, they said.

“(Salvage vessel) Hamza retrieved the bus with its cranes and 14 bodies were found inside,” fire service official Sohel Rana told reporters at the scene.

He added that the divers earlier recovered bodies of two women in their late 50s or early 60s and found the 14 others as the bus was salvaged at around Wednesday midnight after six hours of efforts amid rough weather.

Fire service and coastguard divers continued their search for the missing people with military and police assistance, according to Rana.

Officials said they estimated that the Dhaka-bound bus was carrying some 40 passengers including several children, and most were returning to the capital after ending their Eid holidays.

According to the Rajbari district administration officials, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called them to know salvage campaign updates and ordered investigation into the accident.

Police and witnesses earlier said about 11 passengers managed to swim ashore or were rescued but most others remained missing.

“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,” the terminal’s supervisor Monir Hossain said.

“Right before our eyes, the bus fell into the river, but we could do nothing,” he added.

Doctors at Dauladia health complex said two women were brought dead while another woman, herself a doctor, received treatment.

According to witnesses and officials, many of the passengers were members of the same family. While several of them survived as they stood outside, their relatives were in the bus as it drowned. PTI AR PRK

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)