Emergency crews recovered at least 25 bodies Monday following the sinking of a passenger ferry in Bangladesh.
"Most of the bodies were found inside the sunken boat after it was dragged to the bank," said Mustain Billah, Narayanganj district administrator.
The double-decker ferry, carrying more than 50 passengers, was hit by a cargo vessel and immediately sank in the Shitalakshya River, near the capital, Dhaka.
The boat was full of people rushing to leave the city following the announcement of a weeklong nationwide lockdown beginning Monday to handle the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
On Sunday, Bangladesh reported a record daily jump of 7,087 coronavirus infections, bringing its total to 644,439 with 9,318 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
People rely on ferries for transportation in Bangladesh, a low-lying nation with hundreds of rivers. Accidents are common because of overcrowding and poor maintenance and safety standards.
