Two lighterage ships run aground near Ctg Port

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A wheat-carrying cargo ship sank at Chittagong Port channel before the daybreak Tuesday. —FocusBangla Photo

CHITTAGONG, Sept 11 (UNB): Two lighterage ships ran aground near the outer anchorage of Chittagong Port and near Anu Majhir Ghat in the Karnaphuli river Tuesday morning.
Port sources said the ship MV Shahbadar-2, carrying 900 tonnes of wheat, got stuck on the emerging shoal near the Jetty No 15 of Chittagong Port when its master tried to escape a big wave at about 4.30am.
On information, a rescue ship rushed to the spot and rescued all the 12 crewmembers. The ship with wheat unloaded from a mother vessel at the outer anchorage was heading towards Banglabazar.
A Navy tugboat salvaged the stranded ship and it again set out for Banglabazar at about 4.30pm.
The other freight ship, 'MV Shahin', carrying 1000 tonnes of wheat, ran aground on a shoal in the Karnaphuli near Anu Majhir Ghat almost at the same time.
According to sources, the master of the ship deliberately ran it aground on the shoal as a leakage developed at its bottom. The same Navy tugboat salvaged the ship and brought it to Anu Majhir Ghat for repair work.
However, the port authority sent a notice Sunday to all river vessels to move carefully in the Karnaphuli and the outer anchorage areas of the port, as there are strong currents now in the areas due to release of water from the Kaptai Lake.
UNB adds: A Bangladesh Shipping Corporation ship caught fire at Karnaphuli Shipbuilders' dockyard in Chittagong Tuesday.
Fire Brigade sources said the fire originated in an oil tanker and a cargo room of the MV Shourav while its renovation work was going on at about 4:30PM.
On information, firefighters from different units in the port city rushed in and brought the fire under control after an hour of frantic effort. The extent of damage could not be known immediately.
However, none was injured in the fire.