Fertilizer loaded lighter ship sinks at Mongla port

1 lighter ship named MV Shahajalal Express loaded with fertilizer at Mongla port has sunk.

This incident happened on Tuesday night. At this time, 8 employees of the ship were able to swim to the next ship. The vessel was carrying 31 thousand 459 metric tons of murate of potash fertilizer.

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It is known that MV Shahajalal Express loaded fertilizer from a ship named MV Vita Olympic, a Liberian flagged fertilizer ship located at Harbaria-9 port. Then at around 12:30 PM the lighter left for Jessore's Nowapara to redeem the goods. After going some distance, when the outer anchorage of Mongla port reached Harbaria-8 area, the lighter's propeller was broken and water started entering the engine room. At this time, 8 workers of the lighter swam and took shelter in another lighter next to them. In no time, the lighter sank.

An expedition team of Bangladesh Coast Guard West Zone launched a rescue operation at night after receiving the information.

Captain Shaheen Majid, Harbor Master of Mongla Port Authority, said that the harbor sector of the port will visit the area on Wednesday morning to investigate the incident of lighter sinking. After that, necessary arrangements will be made. But it is said that there is no problem in the movement of ships in the channel, he said.