Indian boat capsizing kills at least 13

A ferry capsizing on the Krishna River in India has left at least 13 people dead.

At least 13 people have drowned and others are missing after a crowded ferry capsized on the Krishna River in India, a government official says.

Another 20 people swam to safety or were rescued by villagers in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh state Home Minister N Chinnarajappa said on Sunday.

Police said the ferry riders were not wearing life jackets, The Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Thirty-eight people were on board when the ferry capsized while turning toward the river bank, officials said. Police and workers from the National Disaster Relief Force searched for those who were missing.

The state government ordered an inquiry into the accident that occurred nearly 275 kilometers southeast of Hyderabad, the state capital.

Such accidents are common in India where many ferries are poorly built and often overcrowded, and there is little regard for safety regulations such as providing life jackets.

Boats are often the main mode of transport in remote areas.