Bangladesh: 13 missing, 12 rescued as vessels capsize

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – At least 12 people were rescued but 13 others have still been missing after two lighters vessels capsized in the Bay of Bengal, a Bangladeshi official said Sunday.

A lighter vessel, named MV Akther Banu, was carrying goods and 13 crew members when it capsized at around 6 a.m. local time (0000GMT) Saturday, Mohammad Salim, deputy director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), told Anadolu Agency.

Salim said they were informed of the incident in the evening and started the rescue operation at night.

The vessel capsized at Hatia Channel near Bhashan Char inland with 750 tons of goods to the Narayanganj district from Chattogram of Bangladesh, he added.

The crew members of the vessel could not be traced after about 24 hours it has gone missing.

Bangladesh River Police, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Coast Guard are jointly conducting rescue operations there, Salim said.

“We got information that five crew members among 13 missing managed to reach land but we could not verify the information yet,” he added.

The official also said there was cautionary signal No-3 in the bay.

Meanwhile, another lighter vessel MV City-14 capsized in the same channel on Saturday with all 12 crew members rescued after going missing, the official added citing rescue officials.