A passenger ferry collided with a cargo ship and capsized on a river in north-eastern Bangladesh on Saturday, killing around 37 people and leaving another 18 missing.

Officials said the ship had been carrying between 50 and 80 people and collided with the cargo vessel in the dark on the River Surma in Sunamganj district, approximately 180km from Dhaka.

The boat was destined for Itna from Bholaganj.

Meanwhile, yesterday, a Russian cargoship collided with a fishing vessel in the Sea of Japan.

Russia's maritime journal Sovfrakht said the cargoship Sunrise collided with the fishing vessel 153km north-east of the South Korean port of Sokcho, 136km off North Korea.

The collision punctured the cargo vessel's hull, allowing water to enter the vessel. However, the situation was brought under control, and the ship is sailing under its own power to the port of Sokcho.

The 1966-built 1,810dwt vessel has a crew of 17 Russian sailors and sails under the Cambodian flag.