A PASSENGER BOAT sank on the Volga River in Russia today, killing at least one person and leaving 61 missing, officials said.
Regional emergencies ministry spokesman Marat Rakhmatullin said the cruise ship “Bulgaria” sank in the middle of the river in the Tatarstan region, about 750 kilometres east of Moscow.
He said 173 passengers and crew were onboard when the boat went down. A passing ship pulled some passengers and crew from the water, Euronews reports.
Two ships and two helicopters responded to the incident and are now on the scene, according to CNN.
The “Bulgaria” belongs to a local tourism company and went from the town of Bulgar to the regional capital, Kazan.
The company’s website says the double-decker, Czech Republic-made boat is designed for 140 passengers.
No cause for the incident has yet been identified.
Additional reporting by the AP
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