At least 45 people have gone missing after a boat capsized Sunday morning in Saptakoshi river in Sunsari district, some 220 km southeast of the Nepali capital Kathmandu, said local TV channel Avenues TV.

The report said seven people have swum to safety, while rescue efforts have been hampered by dense fog.

Police and locals are working together for rescue efforts.

The exact number of people on the boat is still unknown.

Locals believe that the boat might have hit sandbank.

Durga Bhandari, chief district officer of Sunsari district was quoted by a local news website Myrepublica.com as saying that the accident could have occurred due to overloading of the boat.

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2009)