2 ship workers killed in jetty accident

Two workers died while working in a log-laden vessel at a jetty in Chittagong port in the early hours yesterday.

They are Khorshed Alam, 52, of Laxmipur, and Atikur Rahman, 50, of Noakhali.

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Both were working in the night shift alongside others unloading logs from the vessel, MV Latika Naree, which came from Africa, said Sub Inspector (SI) Rabiul Islam of Bandar Police Station.

After the two went missing during work, fellow workers began a search and found them senseless at the bottom of the iron-stairs of a service tunnel of one of the five hatches around 6.00am, the SI  said.

The two men were rushed to the port hospital where on duty doctors declared them dead.

Both bodies bore marks of injuries in head, the SI said. They suspect that the men might have fallen down in the dark while getting down the narrow staircase. 

Requesting anonymity an official of Pancharag Udayan Sangstha quoted the berth operator handling the vessel, as saying that goods were being unloaded from hatch 1 and 3 but the two men were found at hatch No 2, which was closed as the cargo in that hatch was meant for an Indian port.

The two might have mistakenly tried to enter that tunnel and died after inhaling toxic gas, the official said. He explained that hatches containing logs are kept closed for weeks that could create toxic gases in them.