12 crew members of coal-laden sunken vessel rescued alive

Chattogram, Sept 12 (UNB) – Twelve crewmembers, who went missing after their lighterage vessel carrying 1,050 tonnes of coal sank in the Bay of Bengal near Sangu Gas Field on Thursday morning, have been rescued alive.

Lt Commander Saiful Islam, Director (Operations) of Bangladesh Coast Guard (east zone), said the crewmembers jumped into the water after their vessel capsized.

Later, another boat rescued them and took them to the shore in Patenga around 2:30pm, he said.

Around 7:30am, the 12 sailors went on missing when the lighterage vessel named ‘Hira Parbat-8’ carrying coal sank amid storm near Sangu Gas Field on its way to Dhaka.