17 Chinese sailors stuck in ship for 3 days in Sitakunda

Seventeen Chinese sailors have been stuck for three days in a ship docked at Sitakunda coast.

Destined for scrapping, the 9,000-mt Uni Harvest cargo ship of Japan sailed from China’s Weifang Port for Chattogram on January 20, said Milton Ray, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Sitakunda.

“The shipyard authorities had failed to report on the sailors before the ship was docked,” he added.

The vessel was brought to the shipyard, owned by Md Abdullah and Haji Liakot Ali of Sonaimuri union, on Saturday evening, for scrapping.

None of the sailors were allowed to leave the ship due to coronavirus outbreak concern.

Owner of the agency that imported the ship claimed that the Chinese sailors are not infected with coronavirus.

“The ship was beached at Lalbeg in Sonaimuri to be scrapped as per rules,” said Haji Liakot Ali.

Saying that the sailors will be sent back directly to China once their air tickets are confirmed, he said sailors from other countries left the ship after it had been beached.