Chittagong, Oct 19 (V7N) — A lighterage ship named MV Zayan, carrying 1,200 tons of raw materials for the ceramic industry, sank at the outer anchorage of Chittagong Port near Patenga sea beach on Saturday morning.

According to Chittagong Port Authority, the vessel had departed from a mother vessel at the outer anchorage on Friday evening, en route to Dhaka. However, later that night, the ship reportedly developed a mechanical fault mid-journey.

Officials said that while efforts were being made to bring the vessel closer to the coast for repairs, MV Zayan collided with another ship, causing its bottom to rupture. Within hours, the vessel began to take on water and eventually sank completely.

All 13 sailors aboard were rescued safely, authorities confirmed.

However, the entire cargo of raw materials destined for ceramic factories was destroyed in the incident.

A salvage operation is currently underway to recover the sunken vessel.

Port officials said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the collision and assess damage to the marine environment.

END/SMA/AJ