The ferry that capsized in Bangladesh with hundreds of people on board this week had a capacity of only 85 passengers, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan said on Wednesday, as he announced charges against the vessel’s owner and five of its employees.
At least 125 people are presumed dead after the M.V. Pinak went down on Monday in strong currents in the Padma River, according to Mr. Khan.
Mr. Khan said the ferry operator had picked up more passengers from a second stop after departing with an already overloaded vessel earlier in the day.
“This disaster was not supposed to take place,” he said.
Police were searching for the ferry’s owner and five others to face charges of negligence, overloading and unauthorised operations.
Three days after the tragedy, rescue workers have still had not found the sunken vessel or the scores of bodies believed to be trapped inside. Mr. Khan said choppy conditions were hampering the search.
