New Delhi, Sha'ban 9, 1437, May 16, 2016, SPA -- At least 18 people drowned when a boat capsized in eastern India, dpa cited police as saying on Monday. The ferry carrying more than 50 people sank on the Hooghly river in the state of West Bengal on the weekend. "Eighteen bodies have been recovered in search operations as of Monday afternoon," Burdwan police chief Gaurav Sharma said by phone. "Many were rescued or swam to safety," Sharma said, adding it was unclear how many people were still missing. Divers and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force were conducting search operations, and the death toll was expected to rise. --SPA 10:29 LOCAL TIME 07:29 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w