Fire breaks out on Cox's Bazar-St Martin tourist vessel, one crew member killed
The fire started around 6:30am as the vessel was preparing to pick up tourists for its scheduled trip to Saint Martin's Island.
A fire broke out on the tourist vessel The Atlantic Cruise early this morning (27 December) while it was anchored in the Bakkhali River near the BIWTA ghat in Nuniyachara, Cox's Bazar, leaving one crew member dead.
The fire started around 6:30am as the vessel was preparing to pick up tourists for its scheduled trip to Saint Martin's Island.
Syed Md Morshed Hossain, deputy assistant director of the Cox's Bazar Fire Service Station, said that as of 11am the fire had not been brought fully under control.
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He said firefighting efforts were continuing with support from members of the Navy, adding that the cause of the fire had not yet been confirmed.
"One person who was staying on the ship died in the incident. He was sleeping inside a locked room of the vessel," he said.
Hossainul Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh, confirmed that the deceased was Nur Kamal, a crew member of The Atlantic Cruise.
He said smoke was still rising from the vessel as efforts continued to control the blaze.
"Like every day, the vessel was coming to the ghat around 7am to pick up tourists for Saint Martin. Suddenly, smoke was seen rising from inside the ship, and soon flames were visible. Efforts to extinguish the fire are continuing," he said.
Following reports of the incident, Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md A Mannan arrived at the ghat.
He said a five-member committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the fire, and a meeting with ship owners will be held later in the afternoon.
Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanzila Tasnim said government officials were present at the ghat at the time to oversee tourist boarding, as per directives.
"In the meantime, this incident occurred. Firefighting work is underway. The ship has been completely damaged, but no tourists had boarded before the fire broke out," she said.
She added that tourists who were scheduled to travel on The Atlantic Cruise were sent to Saint Martin's Island on other vessels.
