Rescuers have recovered six bodies after a cargo vessel hit a ferry carrying dozens of people along a river outside Bangladesh’s capital, officials and survivors said.

It was not clear immediately how many are still missing.

Fire Service official Rozina Akhter said they could not determine how many were on board the ferry.

Local media reported between 30 and 50 people were on the ferry when the collision occurred in Narayanganj, just outside Dhaka.

Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh mainly because of poor navigation and lax enforcement of traffic rules.