The authorities assigned to recover sunken launch Pinak 6 in the Padma River were struggling to trace the vessel yesterday – the fourth day of operation, even after using modern technology during the operation.
They said the equipment used for the operation was unable to detect wood. The small launch was mostly made by wood.
In the earlier cases, the authorities were able to recover any sunken objects by using 15% to 20% of the technologies used in the Pinak 6 recovery operation.
Now, the authorities are waiting for Jorip 10, a slightly higher-capacity ship than Kandari 2 which is now in operation, to join with the salvage operation. Rescue vessel Jorip 10 – owned by the Chittagong Port Authority – was expected to reach Mawa at midnight.
“We cannot assure when or whether at all we will be able to recover the launch. Earlier we were successful in many accidents. But it is not possible to recover Pinak 6 using 15% to 20% of our technology-based instruments,” Captain Nazrul Islam of the Navy told the Dhaka Tribune.
“The Jorip 10 will conduct the operation along with Kandari 2 as the former is capable to locate any sunken ship at 200 metre depth,” he added.
Regarding Kandari 2, he said: “It is searching with sub-bottom profiler which can locate ships under 70 feet of soil and 18 feet of sand under the water. As of Wednesday, Kandari conducted section block search from 1-5km in the downstream course. The work area was extended to 6-10km today [yesterday].”
He said they would continue the drive. “We can extend the areas but that will only be infinity after crossing 50km, which is considered to be the end. If not found, we will conduct search operations manually at the places from where bodies have been recovered.”
12 bodies found on day 4
The authorities yesterday recovered 12 bodies from rivers in Chandpur, Barisal, Madaripur, Bhola and Shariatpur. Of those, 10 were handed over to the relatives after identification.
As of yesterday, a total of 33 bodies were recovered, among which 18 were handed over to the families. Still, 131 passengers have remained missing, according to the control room.
Of the 33 bodies, three were recovered from Munshiganj, eight from Shariatpur, five each from Barisal and Chandpur, 10 from Bhola and one each from Lakshmipur and Madaripur.
BIWTA Chairman M Shamsuddoha Bhuiyan said they were conducting the operations on a meter by meter basis. “Eight ships and 150 officials from the BIWTA, Cost Guard, Navy and fire service are working in the rescue operation,” he said.
Relatives hopeless
Relatives kept mourning at different parts of the river bank including in Mawa and Shibchar of Madaripur leaving hopes of having the bodies of their near ones for burial. They also demonstrated in Madaripur in protest against the slow rescue operation.
With trawlers, they also searched the places where bodies were recovered earlier.
“As the authorities cannot do anything, we are conducting search operations in Chandpur areas with trawlers while our relatives in Barisal and other areas,” said Jahangir Matobbor, who is yet to get bodies of seven of his family members.
Unidentified bodies to be buried today
Madaripur Deputy Commissioner GSM Jafarullah told the Dhaka Tribune that the unidentified bodies would be laid at the Shibchar Municipality graveyard after Jum’a prayers today.
“We cannot keep the bodies any more as those decomposing due to lack of preserving system. We will bury them if remained unidentified,” he said.