Pirojpur Correspondent:

In the Gabkhan Channel, a vessel named MV Sky collided with another vessel named Rupsa-1 carrying mushuri dal at midnight.

The deck of the MV Sky burst. It then anchored in a semi-submerged state at the launch ghat area of Sandhya River in Kaukhali, Pirojpur along with another ship which was stopped in the river. According to the ship authorities, the ship was going from Chittagong to Noapara in Jessore, loaded with mushuri pulses. After leaving Barisal and coming to Gabkhan River in Jhalkathi, there was a collision with another ship named Rupsa-1 around 12 pm. At that time, the ship named MV Sky realized after coming some distance that the bottom of their ship had burst. Later, the semi-submerged vessel came to anchor in the launch ghat area of the Kaukhali Sandhya river along with another vessel which was anchored in the river.

After receiving the news of the accident, the Kaukhali police station, fire service and naval police went to the spot to carry out the rescue operation, but the ship authorities did not allow the rescue operation. Later, the district administration of Pirojpur contacted the senior officials of the ship in Chittagong. They said another cargo ship will go to the spot and retrieve the pulses. It is known that the ship has 1400 tons of mushri dal. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahedur Rahman and Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman, Upazila Executive Officer Mohammad Sajal Mollah visited the spot. Authorities say the vessel has been kept afloat by two ships on either side to prevent it from sinking.

Mohammad Zakaria, officer-in-charge of Kaukhali police station, said that we are at the scene immediately after the incident. To prevent the ship from sinking completely, the ship is kept afloat by two ships on either side. Also, the Deputy Commissioner of Pirojpur visited the site and constituted a committee of three members. As of writing this report, efforts are underway to salvage the cargo from the damaged ship.

DCT/OL/SMKN/END