Lighter vessel capsizes with 1,100 tonnes of stone

A lighter vessel carrying 1,100 tonnes of imported stone capsized near Karnaphuli 3rd Bridge yesterday morning.

All 13 crewmen managed to save themselves by jumping onto nearby boats and vessels, said police and witnesses.

The vessel, MV Sea Crown, was anchored at a private ghat near Old Ferryghat at Isanagar on the south bank of the river Karnaphuli. It sank around 9:30am after a crack developed in the hull, said OC Md Alamgir of Karnaphuli Police Station.

After loading stones from mother vessel MV Bravo Trader, at Chattogram Port, the vessel arrived at the ghat on Wednesday. It was waiting there to unload the material, which was supposed to start yesterday morning, said MA Rony, secretary of the office of Bangladesh Lighterage Workers Union.

As there was a nor’wester yesterday, the vessel moved and got stuck in the stone-made embankment of the river. The owner firm, Mamata Trading, tried to move it in the morning. During the attempt, a crack developed, said Rony, a witness.