At least 20 people were feared drowned when their boat capsized on Monday during a prayer ceremony on the river Ganges in northern India, a senior local official said. The vessel, with about 60 people on board, turned over in the fast-flowing water, district administrator Senthil Pandyan said by telephone from Uttar Pradesh state, where the accident occurred. "So far we have recovered 10 bodies. We suspect another 10 people have drowned," Pandyan, the chief official for Ballia district, said. "This group wanted to perform some special prayers that required them to be in the middle of the river. When the boat got to the middle, it capsized in strong currents," Pandyan added. Some of those on board managed to swim to the banks of the Ganges, which is revered as a holy river by Hindus. Rescue efforts were underway to find the missing people. Boat accidents are common in India, mainly caused by overcrowding, poor maintenance of vessels and a lack of life jackets and other safety equipment.