The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

A lighter vessel laden with 500 metric tons of fertilizer capsized at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port late last night.

Though the accident occurred at about 12 nautical miles away from Patenga Light House at 10:00 in the night. All crew of the vessel were rescued quickly. Officials suspected that the vessel went under water because of overloading and rough sea.

Radio Control of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) said that the lighter vessel "Bengal Bridge" had been moving to the jetty after taking feed from Alex-D, a mother vessel registered in Panama.

The mother vessel MV Alex D laden with 26250 metric tons of fertilizer anchored at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port several days back. Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) is the consignee of the fertilizer.

Owner of the capsized vessel Mohammad Mezbah Uddin told the reporters that sea water started spilling into the vessel after loading nearly 500 tons of fertilizer.

Port secretary Sayed Mohammad Forhad Uddin said that the accident did not hamper traffic at the port channel