Another launch with 2000 on board escapes disaster
Another triple deck launch with over 2,000 passengers on board escaped a major blow as crew of the launch, which developed a crack at the bottom in the Sandha River on Sunday night, immediately anchored the vessel at Baherchar station in Babuganj upazila of the district.
This was the second such incident in the district within a span of eight days. On the night of July 26, master of MV Karnafuli-1 were forced to anchor at a terminal in Mehendiganj upazila after a crack developed at the bottom of the triple deck launch.
At around 7:00pm on Sunday, the Dhaka-bound MV Anchal-4 left Hularhut station of Pirojpur for Dhaka. The vessel hit the pontoon of Shikarpur launch station in Ujirpur upazila of Barisal while it was anchoring there at around 8:30pm.
Anchal-4 got slightly damaged and left Shikarpur station after 10 minutes. When it reached near Baherchar station under Babuganj upazila of Barisal at around 9:00pm, passengers saw water gushing through a crack developed at the bottom and brought it to the notice of the launch master who immediately anchored the vessel at Baherchar station.
Most of the passengers left the vessel at the station and boarded Dhaka-bound MV Agrodoot and MV Rajdoot, said Md Helal, supervisor of MV Anchal-4.
On the night of July 26, over 2500 home-bound passengers narrowly escaped a major disaster when they were evacuated midway after a crack developed at the bottom of MV Karnafuli-1 in mid-Meghna.
The crew of the triple deck launch were forced to anchor the vessel at a terminal at Kaliganj in Mehendiganj upazila of Barisal.
At least 7/8 passengers sustained minor injuries while they were being evacuated from the vessel, said Ujjal Kumar Dey, officer in-charge of Mehendiganj Police Station.
AK Shahidulla, River Port officer in Barisal, said the launch owned by one Md Haji Salahuddin, had the capacity to carry around 800 passengers but it left Sadarghat terminal in the capital with over 2500 passengers aboard around 7:30am.
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