MOSCOW, March 21./TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended condolences to his Iraqi counterpart Bahram Ahmed Salih over the sinking of a ferry in the Tigris River, in which dozens of people died.

"Please accept our deepest condolences in connection with the tragic aftermath of a ferry sinking in the Tigris River - the death of dozens of passengers, with a lot of children and women among them. I ask you to convey words of sympathy and support to the next-of-kin of the dead as well as wish an early recovery to all who were injured," said the telegram posted on the Kremlin website on Thursday.

The ferry sank near Mosul earlier on Thursday. According to early reports, it could have been heavily overloaded. According to Arab TV channels, between 170 and 250 people could have been on board the ferry with a capacity of 75 passengers. According to updated reports by Sky News Arabia news channel, the death toll has reached 85.