Paturia ferry accident: Rustam to join rescue operations

PBC News:  One more vehicle was fished out of the river Friday as the salvage of the ferry that sank at Paturia dock Wednesday continued.

Around 12.30pm, a van was retrieved from the river. So far, a total of four trucks, six vans and a motorcycle have been recovered from the water.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) chairman Golam Md Sadek said that rescue vessel Prottoy would take some time to reach the dock due to strong currents, reports UNB.

“However, rescue ship Rustom may reach the dock by this evening and assist Hamza in the rescue operations. After retrieving all the vehicles, the ferry will be pulled out of the river through alternative arrangements if Rustom and Hamza fail to do it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the in-charge of the rescue mission unit and joint director of BIWTA, Fazlur Rahman said three more vans and a motorcycle were detected and would be fished out in phases.

Meanwhile none of the recovered vehicles has been handed over to their owners, many of whom gathered at the dock this morning.

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.