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Twenty-eight sailors of the Bangladeshi vessel MV Banglar Samriddhi, which became stranded at a Ukrainian port after a missile hit, have been evacuated and taken to a safer place.
Captain Mujibur Rahman, general manager (Chartering and Planning) at the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, confirmed the matter to The Business Post, adding that the local shipping agent – with support from the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland facilitated the rescue.
A third engineer named Hadisur Rahman – who hailed from Barguna – died in the rocket explosion on the ship MV Banglar Samriddhi, which became stranded in Ukraine on Wednesday afternoon.
The family members of the surviving crew of the vessel, stranded in the Ukrainian Black seaport of Olivia suffered anxiety and worries as the sailors waited for rescue.
Following the missile hit, the sailors were able to douse the flame immediately which broke out due to the explosion, but the ship suffered major damage.
“No damage was done to the main structure of the ship, engine, and to the power supply line while adequate food and water were on board,” said Captain Mujibur Rahman.
The owner of the vessel said the other 28 sailors were unharmed, but the navigational deck of the ship was completely wrecked.
Soon after the incident, several videos surfaced on social media showing sailors trying to put out the fire. Some sailors have posted videos on Facebook describing the incident.
"We are in danger, please help and rescue us, save us. Please, save our lives,” they said on Facebook, seeking help.
Cadet Fariatul Jannat Tuli, a female crew member, said there was bombing on their ship a few minutes back, and their third engineer sir already died.
On Thursday, relatives of some of the sailors rushed to the Bangladesh BSC office, but the authorities could not reveal any plan to rescue them.
The ship MV Banglar Samriddhi arrived at the outer anchorage of Olivia, a Black seaport of Ukraine on 22nd Feb since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Piyush Dutta, Executive Director of the BSC, told reporters at BSC headquarters in Chattogram on Thursday noon the sailors had been told to stay on board until a safe haven was ensured as the danger of war was equally high outside the vessel.
Since the ship has the necessary food and drink, it is safe for sailors to stay there. Sailors could face food and drink crises if they move away from the ship, he said, adding that the government was doing its best to rescue the sailors through diplomatic channels.
Captain Mujibur Rahman, general manager of BSC, told The Business Post on Thursday evening that initially, the sailors will be taken to a safer place.
“Later they will be taken to Poland at a convenient time.”
Panic, longing for safe return
Hossain Mohammad Rakib, a 21-year-old from Gachhua village in Sandwip, an island in the Bay of Bengal, work in the ship as a deck cadet.
While talking to The Business Post, Rakib's father Mohammad Ali Khokon broke down in tears, saying, “I am begging everyone to bring our children back.”
“I have made my son a cadet at a great cost. Now he along with others is in extreme danger. I have not been able to talk to my son since the attack,” he said, adding that the families would be devastated if they were harmed.
Cadet Hossain Rakib's elder brother Arafat Hossain Ridoy said he (Rakib) had been in regular contact with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger since the ship was standard on February 22 to keep abreast of the situation there, but since the shipwreck, he has rarely been able to communicate.
“I contacted a BSC official on Thursday to find out the real condition of the ship. They said my brother was fine,” added Ridoy.
