70 Dead in Bangladesh Ferry Collision

Bangladeshi people cry as rescuers search the Padma river after a passenger ferry capsized in Manikganj district, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Feb. 23, 2015.

The death toll from a Bangladesh ferry collision rose Monday to at least 70 people, maritime officials said.

About 50 people were rescued Sunday when the ferry collided with a cargo ship and sank on the Padma river, about 40 kilometers northwest of the capital, Dhaka.

By Monday, authorities had brought the vessel to the surface of the Padma.

It was not immediately clear how many passengers were on board the ferry when it sank, but passengers estimate about 140 people were traveling on the vessel.

Ferry companies in the South Asian nation do not normally keep formal passenger lists.