2 trucks, a covered van narrowly escape before ferry capsizes

Two trucks and a covered van escaped narrowly from the ferry that capsized at Paturia ghat in Manikganj area on Wednesday.

Shah Amanat tilted just before anchoring at the Paturia ghat 5 and it partially capsized, Mujibur Rahman, in-charge of Aricha Fire Service Station, told the Business Insider Bangladesh quoting eyewitnesses.

Two trucks and a covered van somehow managed to escape the accident, Rahman said.

“We are suspecting that there was a crack in the bottom of the ferry and it might be the cause of the accident,” Rahman, who is also engaged in rescue operations, said.

Besides, while talking to the reporter Mobarak Hossain Mojumdar, spokesperson of the BIWTA said that they came to know that there is a crack in the bottom of the ferry.

Shah Amanat started from Douladdia, the other side of Paturia, carrying at least 17 vehicles, mostly trucks and private cars and got capsized at Paturia ghat in Padma River under Manikganj district at around 10 am, according to Md Zillur Rahman, AGM of BIWTA at Aricha office.

“We have so far traced nine covered vans, three trucks and some motorcycles. We have recovered a motorcycle and rescued 5 to 6 persons alive,” Mujibur Rahman, in-charge of Aricha Fire Service Station, told the Business Insider Bangladesh.

He could not say exactly how many people are missing, but said recovery is on with rescue ship Hamza.

Another rescue ship Prottoy is on the way to Aricha from Narayanganj.

No casualty was reported in the accident, according to Mujibur Rahman.