Thai crew member stabbed to death aboard vessel at Ctg anchorage

A Thai crew member died after being stabbed during an altercation with another foreign crew member aboard a vessel anchored off Chattogram yesterday (19 May).

The incident took place around 12:20pm on board the Thai-flagged scrap vessel MV KPP 01 at Charlie Anchorage in the Bay of Bengal under Anwara Police Station area, according to shipping and police sources.

The deceased was identified as Rapheephong Kalahan, 30, son of Sanyapong Kalahan, a Thai national working as an oiler on the vessel.

According to information received from the ship's agent, an altercation broke out between the oiler and an able-bodied seaman (AB) during onboard crew activities. At one stage, the victim sustained serious injuries in a knife attack.

Nurul Alam Ashik, in-charge of Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) police outpost, said the injured crew member was brought to CMCH around 8pm in critical condition, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.

"The body has been kept at the hospital morgue," he said.

However, Chattogram Port Authority officials could not confirm the incident until 11pm.

When contacted, Harbour Master of CPA Jahirul Islam said the authority had not received any information about the sailor's death.

He advised the TBS correspondent to contact the Coast Guard for any such information.

Earlier, the injured crew member had been taken off the vessel by the ship's local agent for treatment at Apollo Imperial Hospital.

Later, authorities were informed that he had succumbed to his injuries.