Bangladesh
Boat Capsize | Meghna Sand carrier sinks in collision with launch in Meghna, 1 missing
Dhaka, February 17: A sand carrier sank in a collision with a passenger Survi-7 launch en route from Dhaka to Barisal. Lashkar Motaleb Mizi, 55, of the sand ship is missing. In this incident, a crack has been found in the launch of Survi-7.
According to the naval police, the boat named Darul Makam-3 sank after colliding with Barisal-bound MV Survi-7 in Meghna river in Charkishoreganj area near Munshiganj around 11 pm on Wednesday (February 16). Meanwhile, there was a hole in the front of the launch. Later, the launch with half a thousand passengers anchored safely on shore. The passengers of the launch are safe. There are police deployed there.
The owner of the launch, Reazul Kabir, said the launch was pushed by a sand-carrying vessel at night. The front of the launch exploded over the water. The immediate launch is anchored on the river bank. Passengers are safe.
It is learned that there were six staff members in the ship carrying sand from Chandpur. Among them Sukani Sabuj (32), Md. Akhter (18), Chef Abdul Khaleq (65) and Lashkar Imran (20) were able to reach the shore. The four are in the custody of Kalagachhia Naval Police Outpost. And Lashkar Md. Hridoy (18) got up on the launch and fled.
Md. Zahirul Haque, in-charge of Kalagachhia Naval Police Outpost, said that despite the restrictions on sand extraction in the river at night, sand is being looted overnight. The accident took place at night when the sand was taken away, police said. According to the naval police, the owner of the sinking ship Darul Makam-3 is Mohammad Sumon of Demra. Police are searching for him.
Meanwhile, the diving team of the Naval Police and Fire Service is conducting a rescue operation in search of the missing worker Motaleb (55). However, no missing person has been found so far.
The divers took part in the rescue operation around 11 am on Thursday. Earlier, the accident took place on Wednesday (February 16) at around 10:45 pm.
SI Uday Baran Sarkar of Kalagachhia Naval Police Outpost said that the passenger launch Survi-7 was leaving Dhaka for Barisal. On the way, the launch reached Charkishoreganj area around 10:45 pm and hit the sand-carrying bulkhead from Chandpur to Dhaka. The ship sank with six workers. Four of them swam ashore and one landed on another.
However, one person is missing. A team of divers has started searching for the missing workers. A case is pending regarding the accident.
Meanwhile, the front of the launch was damaged in the accident, but the passengers on the launch were safely transferred to another launch.
