Shropshire Star

River ferry sinks in Afghanistan, killing at least 20

Residents in eastern Afghanistan frequently use locally made boats to travel between villages and local markets.

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Rescuers search for survivors of the sunken boat, in the Mohmand Dara district of Nangarhar

At least 20 people have been killed after a boat sank while crossing a river in eastern Afghanistan, a Taliban official said.

Quraishi Badlon, provincial director of the information and culture department in Nangarhar province, said that the boat sank while crossing a river in Mohmand Dara district on Saturday, killing 20 people including women and children.

Mr Badlon said that the boat was carrying 25 people, according to village residents, of whom five survived.

Health worker vehicles near the site of the sunken boat
Health worker vehicles near the site of the sunken boat (AP Photo)

So far five bodies have been retrieved including a man, a woman, two boys and a girl, said the Nangarhar health department in a statement. It added that a medical team and ambulances were sent to the area.

The officials did not provide details on the cause of the accident and said that rescuers are still searching for other bodies.

Residents of the area frequently use locally made boats to travel between villages and local markets.

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