A fire broke out on the tourist vessel The Atlantic Cruise, bound for Saint Martin’s Island, early Saturday morning while docked near the Nuniachhara BIWTA Ghat on the Bakkhali River in Cox’s Bazar town.
According to Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operator Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (SCOAB), the vessel was preparing to pick up tourists around 7am when smoke was first seen inside the ship, quickly followed by visible flames.
Firefighting efforts were immediately launched and are ongoing. Fortunately, no passengers were on board at the time, and no casualties have been reported.
Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Tanzila Tasnim confirmed that government officials were present at the ghat to monitor boarding procedures when the incident occurred. She said the ship suffered extensive damage but emphasized that the fire broke out before passengers could board, preventing potential injuries at sea.
Additional District Magistrate Md Shahidul Alam stated that authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
