At least 40 farm laborers feared drowned Wednesday when an overcrowded country boat in which they were traveling got caught in a whirlpool and sank in the swollen Gandak river in West Champaran district of Bihar state in east India.

"Seven bodies have been fished out with the help of locals," the Press Trust of India quoted sub-divisional police officer, Bagaha Arvind Thakur and sub-divisional officer, Bagaha Jayant Kumar as saying.

They said the laborers were crossing the river for agricultural work when the boat caught in the whirlpool.

They said divers had been pressed into service to fish out bodies.

Senior police and civil officials were camping at the site.

Source: Xinhua