8 labourers have gone missing after a sand extraction dredger sank in tidal water in Chittagong's Mirsharai upazila during the inclement weather caused by the cyclonic storm Sitrang.
The missing labourers are identified as Dredger driver Imam Mollah, 32, Shaheen Mollah, 38, Mahmud Mollah, 32, Al Amin, 21, Bashar, 45 and Tareq. Two others yet to be identified.
The incident took place early Tuesday, said Mirsharai Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Kabir Hossain.
He said that the sunken dredger was about 1,000 feet from the embankment in Bashundhara area of Saherkhali under Mirsharai police station.
He said that, in addition to the increased height of the sea tide caused by Sitrang, the sand lifting dredger machine Saikat-2 was washed away and sunk in the stormy wind. There were 9 labourers on board at the time.
One of them, Salam, managed to go to a safe location. He said that the sand extraction laborers work 24 hours a day in the dredger. Aside from eating, there was also space for sleeping. The Coast Guard was notified of the situation.
He said that the fire department and coast guard are trying to locate and rescue the missing people.
