A cargo vessel carrying 1,250 tonnes of coal sank after colliding with an oil tanker in the Sundarbans on Monday night (26 October), with all 10 crew members and workers rescued.
The incident occurred near Sundari Kota in the Pashur Channel, close to Harbaria under the Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans East Forest Division.
The rescued crew members and workers were taken to Mongla upazila headquarters aboard another vessel. No casualties were reported.
As of around 2:15pm today (27 October), no salvage operation had begun. However, vessel movement remained normal as the sunken ship was outside the main port channel.
According to Mongla Port sources, cargo vessel MV Phulbari had loaded coal from foreign commercial vessel MV Yas Jupiter, anchored at Hiron Point, and was heading towards Badamtali in Dhaka when it collided with oil tanker MT Jannatul Ferdous. The impact cracked Phulbari's hull, allowing water to enter.
Mohammad Sakib Kazi, helmsman of Phulbari, said they were heading towards Mongla after loading coal at Hiron Point around 9:30pm when the tanker was travelling downstream.
He alleged that the tanker lost control and struck their vessel, cracking its deck and allowing water to enter.
"We tried to steer the vessel towards the riverbank, but it began sinking before we could reach it. We put on life jackets, jumped into the water and swam to another vessel," he said.
However, Mohammad Nayan Sheikh, a lascar on Jannatul Ferdous, said an anchor problem had caused the tanker to drift into the main channel.
He said the collision occurred as the vessels approached each other and exchanged light signals. The impact threw him onto Phulbari, he added.
The vessel Rania-13 rescued nine crew members and workers from Phulbari, along with Nayan Sheikh, taking all 10 to Mongla. They are now at the Mongla branch office of the Bangladesh Launch Labour Association.
Mohammad Anwar Hossain Chowdhury, general secretary of the association, said Phulbari had loaded coal from a mother vessel anchored at Hiron Point before heading to Dhaka.
He said the sunken vessel was close to the riverbank and was not obstructing other vessels.
Commodore Mohammad Shafiqul Islam Sarker, member (Harbour and Marine) of the Mongla Port Authority, said the vessel had sunk outside the main channel, leaving navigation unaffected.
He added that the vessel's owners had been instructed to take the necessary steps to salvage it as soon as possible.