At least 16 bodies found as launch catches fire mid-river

At least 16 dead bodies have been recovered as a Barguna bound launch caught fire mid-river in Jhalakthi at around 3:00am on Friday.

District commissioner Md Johar Ali confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

At least 70 people were rescued and sent to the hospitals nearby while many remained missing.

The Barguna-bound launch MV-10 from Dhaka had more than 1000 passengers.

Unharmed passengers said the launch caught fire while it was on the Sugandha river in Jhalokati. The launch was later diverted to the bank near Diakul village.

Kamal Hossain Bhuiyan, deputy director of Barisal Fire Service, told Prothom Alo that a total of five units were working to rescue the victims.

Rescue operations are being hampered due to heavy fog, the fire service official said.

Kamal Hossain Bhuiyan said that it was initially suspected that the fire originated from the engine room of the launch.