A 1200-tonne cement clinker laden lighter vessel was partly submerged as a giant crack developed on its deck after being hit by another sunken lighter vessel at outer anchorage area of Chittagong port on Saturday morning.
Chittagong Port Water Transport Cell Executive Director Mahbub Rashid said the affected lighter vessel, MV Nasa, was unloading the clinker from mother vessel, MV Wadi-Al-Bostan, while the anchor of the mother vessel left out from it. This resulted MV Nasa to losing its control, and it got hit with the previously sunk vessel, MV Sundarban-1.
“Following that, the deck of the lighter vessel was broken and it was being rushed to Patenga seashore which is close to the spot,” he said.
Another lighter vessel, East Bengal, rescued the 13 crews of MV Nasa, he added.
The affected vessel was kept near shore while no hindrance was created for vessels’ movements at outer anchorage area, said Chittagong Port Deputy Conservator Captain Nazmul Alam.