Bhola, Bangladesh, Dec 01– Officials of the MV Coco-4 face charges for overloading the vessel and causing deaths of more than 75 passengers, in a case filed by a passenger that survived the ferry disaster at Lalmohon, Bhola, over Eid.
"The case accuses authorities of MV Coco-4 of causing the accident and deaths of passengers by overloading and attempting to dock 50 feet away from the Nazirpur launch terminal," Lalmohon police chief Jakir Hossain said Tuesday. The case was filed by surviving passenger M Faisal of Lalmohan, said Hossain.
The Coco-4 partially capsized last Friday, the night before Eid-ul-Azha, on the river Tentulia at Lalmohan, some 40 km from Bhola district town.
The death toll rose to 77 by Tuesday, with a further 40 passengers still unaccounted for by official estimates.
The vessel, crowded from hull to decks with people heading home to celebrate the holiday with families, began tipping with the weight of disembarking passengers and partially sank, according to eye witnesses.
The 600-capacity ferry was carrying more than 1500 passengers from Dhaka to Lalmohon.
"The case accuses authorities of MV Coco-4 of causing the accident and deaths of passengers by overloading and attempting to dock 50 feet away from the Nazirpur launch terminal," Lalmohon police chief Jakir Hossain said Tuesday. The case was filed by surviving passenger M Faisal of Lalmohan, said Hossain.
The Coco-4 partially capsized last Friday, the night before Eid-ul-Azha, on the river Tentulia at Lalmohan, some 40 km from Bhola district town.
The death toll rose to 77 by Tuesday, with a further 40 passengers still unaccounted for by official estimates.
The vessel, crowded from hull to decks with people heading home to celebrate the holiday with families, began tipping with the weight of disembarking passengers and partially sank, according to eye witnesses.
The 600-capacity ferry was carrying more than 1500 passengers from Dhaka to Lalmohon.
BIWTA OFFICIALS SACKED
The three BIWTA officials were suspended for ignoring responsibilities regarding the launch tragedy, as rescue vessel MV Hamza was so late in reaching the accident spot, a shipping ministry statement said Tuesday.
The Hamza, a salvage and rescue vessel of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, , setting off from bordering district Barisal on Saturday morning, took more than 24 hours to arrive on the scene.
It began its operations on Sunday morning, some 36 hours after the accident, righting the capsized ferry, allowing rescue workers to better reach the hull.
The sacked officials are Md Abdur Razzaque, director of the waterway conservancy division, Md Shahjahan, a senior deputy director of the division's Barisal branch, and Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, senior deputy director of Barisal river port.
BIWTA officials said the river was low at this time of year, which caused poor navigability and delays.
The three BIWTA officials were suspended for ignoring responsibilities regarding the launch tragedy, as rescue vessel MV Hamza was so late in reaching the accident spot, a shipping ministry statement said Tuesday.
The Hamza, a salvage and rescue vessel of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, , setting off from bordering district Barisal on Saturday morning, took more than 24 hours to arrive on the scene.
It began its operations on Sunday morning, some 36 hours after the accident, righting the capsized ferry, allowing rescue workers to better reach the hull.
The sacked officials are Md Abdur Razzaque, director of the waterway conservancy division, Md Shahjahan, a senior deputy director of the division's Barisal branch, and Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, senior deputy director of Barisal river port.
BIWTA officials said the river was low at this time of year, which caused poor navigability and delays.
FURTHER RESCUE WORK
Menawhile, a trawler with 11 chains—six with capacity to lift ten tonnes and five of 15 tonnes—started from Barisal Tuesday morning.
Another rescue vessel, the MV Rustom, had also set off Monday evening from Narayanganj to assist the Hamza.
Both vessels were expected to reach the spot Tuesday night.
Police, divers of BIWTA and firemen have been engaged in rescue operations since the early hours of Saturday.
Menawhile, a trawler with 11 chains—six with capacity to lift ten tonnes and five of 15 tonnes—started from Barisal Tuesday morning.
Another rescue vessel, the MV Rustom, had also set off Monday evening from Narayanganj to assist the Hamza.
Both vessels were expected to reach the spot Tuesday night.
Police, divers of BIWTA and firemen have been engaged in rescue operations since the early hours of Saturday.
Courtesy: bdnews24.com
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