After four days of Rajnigandha ferry capsizing, three separate rescue vessels are still struggling to rescue the vessel that sank on the Daulatdia-Paturia route in the middle of the Padma River in Paturia of Manikganj early Wednesday.
The ferry’s second engine master Humayun Kabir, 45, is still missing as well.
Some 50 divers of the Bangladesh Navy, Fire Service and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) joined the rescue mission with the rescue vessel Prattay on Saturday morning.
Shah Md Khaled Nawaz, deputy general manager (commerce) of the Aricha Regional Office of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation confirmed this information.
He said: “Search is underway to find second engine master Humayun Kabir. It is going to be challenging to identify his body.”
Rescue vessel Prattay’s Commander Obaidul Kareem said the ferry was still out of sight.
“We hope to bring it to the floating stage by evening,” he added.
Lieutenant Shah Paran Emon, head of the Navy's diving team, said that the rescue operation was facing obstacles due to the severe cold.
He said: “We will use war ropes to attach the ferry with Prattay’s crane to lift it.”
The rescue team had rescued two trucks and a covered van from the sunken ferry. Six other trucks are yet to be rescued.
BIWTC Chairman Dr AKM Matiur Rahman said the accident occurred when the ferry collided with the bulkhead. However, he changed his statement and said the ferry sank due to water entering through a hole.