Dhaka, Apr 6 (IANS): The death toll from a ferry capsize in Bangladesh has increased to 34 after more bodies in the Shitalakkhya river in Narayanganj district, officials said on Tuesday.

The overcrowded ferry, ML Sabit Al Hasan, carrying some 50 passengers onboard, capsized after colliding with the SKL-3 cargo ship at around 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Around 20 passengers managed to swim to safety following the capsize.

Local government official Nahida Barik said the search crews found eight more bodies adrift on the waters since the salvage operation was officially called off on Monday, reports dpa news agency.

Twenty-one bodies were found trapped inside the double-decker ferry when the vessel was towed to the shore after an 18-hour salvage operation conducted by a team made up of navy, coast guard, police and fire service and civil defence department staff.

Five more bodies were found adrift hours later.

Commodore Golam Sadeq, the head of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, said that the coast guards would continue their search operation for the time being in case others were found.

Two separate probe bodies have been formed by the Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner and the Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to probe the accident.