DHAKA: A Bangladeshi ferry with around 200 passengers on board capsized in a river near the capital Dhaka on Thursday, with police reporting that at least six bodies had been recovered with a rescue vessel still on the way to the site.

The M.V. Miraj-4 ferry capsized in stormy weather in the Meghna river at Rasulpur in Munshiganj district, 27 kilometres from Dhaka. The accident occurred at around 3:30 pm (0930 GMT). The ferry had been going to Shariatpur from Dhaka.

“We are heading to the spot with rescue team,” said Saiful Hassan Badal, Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj district told Reuters. He said the navy and coast guard were sending rescue teams and a ship had been sent from Dhaka.

So far six bodies had been recovered, including that of a child, according to Oliur Rahman, a police officer at the scene.