A horrific transportation disaster in Bangladesh has left at least 26 people dead after a passenger bus plunged into a river during what should have been a routine trip.
The deadly crash happened Wednesday evening in the Rajbari district, where the bus—reportedly carrying around 40 passengers—went into the Padma River as it approached a ferry at Daulatdia.
What followed was chaos, heartbreak, and a desperate overnight recovery effort.
According to officials, the bus was traveling from Kushtia to the capital city of Dhaka when it lost control and plunged into the water around 5:20 p.m. local time. Rescue teams rushed to the scene, but the operation quickly became difficult as strong river currents and heavy rain made conditions dangerous.
Authorities said the death toll has climbed to at least 26.
Of those victims, 23 bodies were recovered by the fire service, while two were found by local residents and one more was recovered by a navy diver. Officials said the dead included men, women, and children, making the tragedy even more devastating for the families gathered along the riverbank waiting for news.
Eight people were initially pulled from the water alive and taken to the hospital. But two of the rescued women later died from their injuries, adding to the growing toll.
Images from the scene showed crowds lining the riverbank as rescue crews searched the water and machinery worked to pull the crushed bus from the river.
One survivor described just how fast it all happened.
Passenger Kalam Hossain said he had gotten off the bus and was standing on the pontoon when, in what he described as the blink of an eye, the packed vehicle sank into the river with passengers still inside.
He said the bus was full and that he lost his backpack and important papers in the wreck.
As rescue efforts stretched into the night, families were left mourning loved ones and searching for answers about how such a deadly plunge could happen so suddenly.