In what may prove to be the worst ferry accident in India in recent years, it is still unclear how many passengers were lost when an overcrowded ferry capsized on Monday in the bad weather in the Brahmaputra River in India’s Assam state.  As many as 250 are reported to have have died or are missing, though estimates vary widely. The ferry did not carry life jackets or other safety gear. The ferry, which was reported to be a “double-decked” vessel, appears now to have been a large partially decked boat with a wooden canopy or roof over the passenger area.  Additional passengers apparently also sat on the roof of the vessel. Thanks to Tad Roberts for passing along the photo of a similar vessel.

Assam boat tragedy: Cops fear 250 dead, 100 still missing