11 missing as cargo ship ‘sinks’ off Phuket

Thai news agency The Phuket News has said quoting The Royal Thai Navy on Thursday that Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Hope did not sink but was lying on its side, with 11 crew members still missing.

The crewmen went missing after MV Hope ‘sank’ off the coast of Phuket early on Thursday amid hostile weather, Thai media had reported earlier.

MV Hope’s registering authority, Mercantile Marine Department’s Principal Officer Shafiqul Islam said the cargo vessel ran into massive waves and stiff crosswinds in the Andaman Sea.

He said the ship was returning with 6,545 metric tonnes of ball clay used in the ceramics industry after picking it up from Lumut port in Malaysia. “We were told that 11 of the 17-member crew of the ship are still missing. Six others were rescued.”

Thai news agency "Phuket News" said the Royal Thai Navy was conducting the rescue operations at the spot of capsize, about 29 nautical miles (54 kilometres) south of Racha Yai Island.

According to the vessel’s owners, the missing crew members were the ship’s Captain Rajib Chandra Karmakar, Chief Officer Md Mahbub Morshed, Second Officer Mobarak Hossain, Deck Cadet ‘Faizur’, Chief Engineer Kazi Saifuddin, Second Engineer Md Nejam Uddin, Engine Cadet Mushfiqur Rahman, Electricians Chhadim Ali, KB Nasir Uddin and Ali Hossain and Chief Cook Nasir Uddin.

MV Hope’s Fourth Engineer Md Abdul Hakim, Deck Cadets Mokhlesur Rahman, Abu Bakar Siddique, Md Rubel, Md Osman and Saiful Islam were rescued from the sea.

Five of them were spotted in a lifeboat and were later picked up by a German container ship Buxmoon, which will take them to Bangladesh. They are believed to be fine.

Abu Bakar, 40, was pulled out of the sea injured and was flown aboard a Thai Navy helicopter to Phuket, where he is now recovering in Vachira Phuket Hospital, the “Nation” online said.

"Phuket News" said search for the unaccounted-for crew was going on. Rescued crew members said they did get off the sinking ship in life boats but efforts to trace them drawn blank.

Islam said the 23-year old MV Hope was owned by Trade Bridge Shipping Ltd.

Sama Quader Chowdhury is the owner of Trade Bridge Shipping Ltd. She is also the wife of Jamal Uddin Quader Chowdhury, brother of BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.

The ship’s certificate showed its load-carrying capacity was 5,550 metric tonnes. But according to the information provided to Chittagong Port Authority by the owners, it showed the ship was carrying nearly 1,000 metric tonnes more than its capacity.

Shafiqul Islam said the ship was supposed to return to Chittagong port on July 8.

In the early morning light, the MV Hope lists heavily in stormy seas. Photo: Royal Thai Navy

Abu Bakar Siddique receives a visit from Marine Police in Vachira Hospital. Photo: The Phuket News

However, the reason for the capsize is not yet clear, but the 97-metre, 5,550-ton MV Hope broadcast an SOS at 3:57am Thursday which was picked up by the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC), "Phuket News" said.

Australian RCC relayed details of the ship’s last known position to its counterpart in Bangkok.

Heading northwest, it had run into heavy crosswinds and waves coming beam-on, "Phuket News" added.

A Royal Thai Navy Third Fleet helicopter was scrambled soon after that and flew out to check the spot of capsize.

A navy helicopter and patrol plane were also circling the area, looking for the missing crew members.