MV Miraj-4 close to shore, 31 bodies found

MV Miraj-4, the vessel that capsized in Meghna on Thursday, has been salvaged and dragged close to shore but rescuers have failed to retrieve bodies, if any, as the vessel lies upside down.

Around 8pm on Friday, rescue vessel Prottoy was able to bring the launch to the edge of the shore, Shamsuddoha Khandker, chairman, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, said.

“We’re now trying to turn the right side up. Then we’ll send in divers to look for bodies,” he said.

But around midnight, three more bodies were found floating in the river, taking the death toll in the launch capsize to 31, Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Saiful Hasan Badal told reporters.

Twenty-eight of those bodies that rescuers pulled out from the Meghna until the afternoon were handed over to families.

The passenger ferry sank on its way to Sureshwar from Dhaka on Thursday. MV Miraj-4 was caught in a storm and sank near Daulatdia in Munshiganj.

Prottoy reached Daulatdia on Thursday evening from Narayanganj and pinpointed the launch’s position about 80 feet below the surface.

Around 11:30am Friday, an attempt was made to retrieve it but the crane cable snapped, and the launch sank again.

The 36 by 7 by 1.9 metre vessel weighs about 110 tonnes. Rescue vessel Prottoy can lift 250 tonnes.

Survivors said the launch sank because of erratic navigation and overloading.

Meanwhile, at least 15 survivors were admitted to various hospitals in Munshiganj and Dhaka.

DC Saiful Hasan Badal said the families of each of the victims had been given a compensation of Tk 20,000 up front.

Earlier, administration officials were confronted by an angry mob, frustrated with the delay in the salvage and rescue operations.

The Department of Shipping has formed a committee to investigate the accident.

Shipping ministry spokesperson Jahangir Alam Khan said the three-member committee would be headed by ASM Sirajul Islam, an engineer and ship surveyor with the Mercantile Marine Department.

The other two members are DoS Executive Magistrate Saiful Hasan and Chief Inspector (additional duties) Shafiqur Rahman.

The committee has been asked to file a report within seven days.