Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued fourteen sailors from the Bay of Bengal on Saturday morning after a call was made from a ship to the National Emergency Helpline 999.
Anwar Sattar, police inspector (media) of 999 said: "A sailor named Murad, 18, called 999 and reported that their ship's engine was damaged, water was entering the engine room, they had no control over the ship, and they were floating in the ocean with 14 sailors on board."
Murad requested assistance for their rescue, he added.
"After receiving the help request Coast Guard control room and Coast Guard at Sandwip were asked to take rescue measures. Later, the coast guard's regular patrol vessel Shobuj Bangla went to the accident site and rescued 14 sailors safely from the lighter ship," the police officer said.
"First aid and food have been provided to the rescued persons. The ship owners were later contacted and handed over to them along with the ship," he added.
Alighter ship named MV Master Sumon-2 was going from Chittagong to Daudkandi in Comilla carrying 1,100 tons of coal. At one point, the engine failed and water entered the engine room, causing the ship to float uncontrollably in the sea.
The ship was in the deep sea, approximately 9.5 nautical miles north of the Sangu gas field at the time.
