Kakdwip: The death count in the West Bengal trawler capsize in the Muriganga river rose to 80, with four more bodies being recovered Wednesday. Fifty-one people still remain untraced.
"Four more bodies were found today. The number of deaths is now 80. Search operation is still on," South 24-Parganas additional district magistrate (relief) Nilanjan Shandilya told IANS over phone.
The trawler ferrying 220 people, mainly Muslim pilgrims, to Kakdwip in South 24-Parganas from Hijli Sharif in East Midnapore district, capsized Saturday morning.
The accident occurred near Ghoramara Island, about 150 km south of Kolkata, in the mouth of the Muriganga river where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. Eighty-nine people have been rescued so far.
The search operation involved divers from the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard and the Kolkata Port Trust.
A helicopter and a hovercraft have also been deployed.