Lighter vessel capsizes near Bhasan Char

A lighter vessel carrying limestone capsized at Bay near Bhasan Char in Noakhali this afternoon.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chattogram Joint Director Md Sabur Khan said the vessel MV Ya Elahi capsized at Bay while crossing Osman-3 Red Lighted Buoy near Bhasan Char around 12:00pm after a crack formed in its hull during stormy weather.

The BIWTA official said all the 12 crew were rescued by fishermen of a nearby trawler crossing the same area.

A vessel of the BIWTA was sent to install a lighted buoy to mark the spot so that other vessels can avoid the area while passing it, he added.

Anwar Hossain, a partner of the vessel's owning firm M/s Jagua Traders, told The Daily Star that the vessel was carrying 850 tonnes of limestone, imported by a Bashundhara Group cement factory.

The ship was heading for Mongla Port from Chattogram.

"We are in touch with a salvage company to recover the sunken vessel," he said.