Death toll rises to at least 70 in Bangladesh ferry disaster

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — The death toll from a weekend ferry disaster in central Bangladesh rose to 70 today, as divers finished their search after the vessel was lifted to the surface and towed to shore.

A local government administrator, Rasheda Ferdousi, said the area of the river around the accident site was still being monitored because some passengers were still missing. He did not give an exact number.

"Our people are using boats to survey the river for any dead bodies. But here at the scene we are calling off the search as there are no more bodies inside the ferry," Ferdousi said.

Up to 140 passengers were thought to be on the ferry when it capsized Sunday afternoon after being hit by a cargo vessel in the Padma River, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Dhaka. The river is one of Bangladesh's largest.

Ferry accidents are common in the South Asian nation, which is crisscrossed by more than 130 rivers.

A salvage ship pulled the ferry, the M.L. Mosta, to the surface from about 6 meters (20 feet) of water.