Authorities in Bangladesh announced that at least 39 people had died and 72+ had been injured when a passenger ferry caught fire on Friday, December 24, in the southern part of the country.
Rescue operations were underway as divers and the fire service scoured the area.
According to officials, the casualties are likely to rise.
The accident took place early in the morning on Sugandha River, close to Jhalokathi, approx 250 km (160 mi) south of Dhaka.
The fire is said to have originated in the engine room of the double-deck ms Avijan-10 and engulfed the rest of the vessel.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
The ferryboat had a capacity of 310 passengers, but 500+ people were onboard. It was sailing from Dhaka to the southern Barguna district.