10 dead, others missing as ferry sinks in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Ten people have been killed and 11 others are missing after a riverbank collapsed on top of an overcrowded ferry and sank it in southern Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Speaking to Reuters, Ziaul Hasan, a police official in the southern district of Barisal said a steep riverbank collapsed and a huge slab of mud fell onto the ferry while it was anchored.

"At least 11 people are still unaccounted for and the search operation is underway," he said.

"The ferry was overcrowded and carrying about 50 people," he said, before adding that some passengers managed to swim ashore after the accident.

Overcrowding is a common element in Bangladeshi ferry accidents with little been done to improve safety.

Bangladesh, a low-lying land with extensive inland waterways and weak safety standards, has a awful record of ferry accidents.