Vessel washes ashore at Chhera dwip as Cyclone Sitrang approaches

A large vessel washed ashore and found stranded on the rocks in the west-side of Chhera dwip of the Saint Martin Island on Monday afternoon as cyclone Sitrang approaches Bangladesh coast.

The sea remains very rough and the tidal surge is now flowing 2 to 3 feet higher than normal in the island union of Cox's Bazar under the influence of the cyclonic storm.

Saint Martin's Island Coast Guard Station Commander Lieutenant Rajeev said, "A barge got stuck in Saint Martin's Chhera dwip area. The cargo carrying vessel has been stranded on the torn part of island due to stormy winds and strong currents under the influence of Sitrang."

"Initially it was thought that the barge might have been tied up with another ship. The barge might have been abandoned for some reason and it floated to and got stuck in Chhera dwip, Lieutenant Rajeev said.

However, the efforts to collect details about the vessel are going on, he added.  

Ownership information of the vessel, which has "MR3322 SC4582B BARGE" written on its right-side, is still unknown. 

Abdul Malek, a resident of Saint Martin's Island, said the upper deck of the vessel was open. It contains many containers and other necessary goods.

"Initially we thought the vessel was a tourist carrier. Later, we found that it was a container vessel and no one was found there," Khorshed, another resident of the island, said.