Paturia ferry capsize: BIWTA retrieves all sunken vehicles
On the fourth day, salvage vessel Hamza successfully retrieved the last covered van
Rescuers are seen engaged in the salvage operation for the capsized Ro-Ro ferry Amanat Shah on Saturday, October 30, 2021 Dhaka Tribune
Motiur Rahman, Manikganj
Publish : 30 Oct 2021, 11:08 AMUpdate : 24 Dec 2021, 04:12 PM
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) retrieved all sunken vehicles from the riverbed on the fourth day of the salvage operation of Ro-Ro ferry Amanat Shah, which flipped onto its side and sank in the Padma River at Paturia ferry terminal, Manikganj
The fourth day of the salvage operation started at 8am on Saturday with vessel Rustom joining at 9am.
In the past three days, Hamza had managed to retrieve 13 trucks, covered vans and seven motorcycles.
On the fourth day, it successfully salvaged the last covered van that had remained sunken.
In the meantime, Rustom retrieved all the vehicles that were earlier pulled up onto the riverbank by Hamza.
Fazlur Rahman, chief coordinator (joint director) of BIWTA's rescue unit, said the weight of the sunken ferry Amanat Shah was beyond the capacity of both the government-level salvage vessels combined.
“The total capacity of the two salvage vessels combined is 120 tons, while the sunken ferry weighs 1,000 tons” he added.
For the same reason, vessel Prottoy, which only has a 250 ton-capacity, will not be joining the salvage operations as it too falls short in its capacity.
“Therefore, we will have to take an alternative decision regarding the sunken ferry,” added the official.
Meanwhile, the process of handing over the retrieved vehicles to the owners started and some of the owners held a human chain at 12pm on the riverbank seeking compensation from the government.
A 3-km tailback has been created at Paturia terminal due to the movement of a limited number of ferries.
The two probe committees formed by the Ministry of Shipping and Manikganj district administration visited the accident spot at Paturia terminal 5 on Thursday evening.
Head of the district probe committee, additional magistrate Sanwarul Haque said that a report will be submitted within seven working days.
Around 9:30am on October 27, the ferry -- Amanat Shah -- capsized near Paturia's number five ferry terminal with 14 trucks, vans and seven motorcycles on board.
The vessel tilted after water gushed in through a crack in its bottom while it was preparing to anchor at the dock.
Paturia ferry capsize: BIWTA retrieves all sunken vehicles
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) retrieved all sunken vehicles from the riverbed on the fourth day of the salvage operation of Ro-Ro ferry Amanat Shah, which flipped onto its side and sank in the Padma River at Paturia ferry terminal, Manikganj
The fourth day of the salvage operation started at 8am on Saturday with vessel Rustom joining at 9am.
In the past three days, Hamza had managed to retrieve 13 trucks, covered vans and seven motorcycles.
On the fourth day, it successfully salvaged the last covered van that had remained sunken.
In the meantime, Rustom retrieved all the vehicles that were earlier pulled up onto the riverbank by Hamza.
Fazlur Rahman, chief coordinator (joint director) of BIWTA's rescue unit, said the weight of the sunken ferry Amanat Shah was beyond the capacity of both the government-level salvage vessels combined.
“The total capacity of the two salvage vessels combined is 120 tons, while the sunken ferry weighs 1,000 tons” he added.
For the same reason, vessel Prottoy, which only has a 250 ton-capacity, will not be joining the salvage operations as it too falls short in its capacity.
“Therefore, we will have to take an alternative decision regarding the sunken ferry,” added the official.
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Meanwhile, the process of handing over the retrieved vehicles to the owners started and some of the owners held a human chain at 12pm on the riverbank seeking compensation from the government.
A 3-km tailback has been created at Paturia terminal due to the movement of a limited number of ferries.
The two probe committees formed by the Ministry of Shipping and Manikganj district administration visited the accident spot at Paturia terminal 5 on Thursday evening.
Head of the district probe committee, additional magistrate Sanwarul Haque said that a report will be submitted within seven working days.
Around 9:30am on October 27, the ferry -- Amanat Shah -- capsized near Paturia's number five ferry terminal with 14 trucks, vans and seven motorcycles on board.
The vessel tilted after water gushed in through a crack in its bottom while it was preparing to anchor at the dock.