Launch with 1000 on board hits riverbank due to fog

NO, IT'S NOT A TSUNAMI: This launch, MV Dwipraj, ploughed into a paddy field on the bank of the Kirtankhola River along with around 1000 passengers on board on Friday night due to dense fog. Although there was no casualty, the fuel oil of the vessel continued to spill into the river from the engine room. PHOTO: STAR

A launch carrying around one thousand passengers from the river port partly sank after hitting the bank of the Kirtankhola River at Char Abdani at about 9:30pm on Friday, an hour after leaving Barisal.

However, all the passengers from the Dhaka-bound triple-decker MV Dwipraj safely reached the bank with the help of locals and they returned to Barisal by trawlers and boats on Saturday morning.

Abul Bashar Majumdar, deputy director (river safety and traffic management) of BIWTA in Barisal, said BIWTA vessel Agrani was sent to the spot early Saturday to help rescue the stranded passengers and keep the launch at place as tugboat Nirvik that has been sent for salvage operation will take two days to reach the spot.

Visiting the spot yesterday, this correspondent found that the stilted launch with its badly damaged engine room continued sinking under the impact of consecutive high and low tides.

Some locals were collecting diesel spilled from the vessel.

Launch owner Kamrul Islam could not be contacted for his comments as his mobile remained switched off.