Ferry sinks in Bangladesh

Some 15 people are believed to have died in Bangladesh following a ferry accident, according to reports.

The MV Shah Paran, carrying more than 125 passengers, capsized in the River Meghna after it hit a cargo boat near Munshiganj, 12 miles south-east of the capital, Dhaka.

The majority of passengers were Muslims, heading home from Tetoitala to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr festival in Rampura.

A police spokesperson told the BBC that the majority of the ship's passengers were able to swim to the nearby riverbank, although some reports claim that more than 30 people remain unaccounted for.

"A rescue ship has salvaged the sunken ferry from about 60 feet under water, and no more bodies were found in the ferry," Mothahar Hossain, a director of Bangladesh Water Transport Authority said.

Divers are now searching for those who have yet to be found.

Ferry accidents are common in the country, with overcrowding and poor safety equipment often blamed for the disasters.