The sunken launch, Pinak-6, which went down with 350 passengers on board in the Padma on Aug 4, has not been traced even on the fifth day.
The failure comes despite the use of the most ‘powerful’ technology and the coordinated efforts of all government wings.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan on Friday said no launch had ever capsized in that part of the river and cargo boats that had sunk before had not been traced either.
But despite such past records, the “world’s best technology” was being used to look for Pinak-6.
Agencies such as the Navy, BIWTA and Fire Service and Civil Defence engaged in the salvage operation say they are not giving up.
But the sunken ferry is yet to be located the ‘eco sounder’ and ‘sub-bottom profiler’ having been used 50 km around the accident site.
As time ticks away, chances of strong currents pushing the launch further downstream, or upstream silt covering it becomes increasingly real, making it more difficult to locate the vessel.
Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan could not recall any previous search for a launch that lasted this long.
Naval officer Captain Nazrul Islam leading the Navy team engaged in the Mawa search operation said much the same thing.
He added the search area would be extended on Saturday.
40 bodies found, 23 handed over
Four more corpses were found in the downstream of various rivers and the latest count took the number of recovered bodies to 40.
The local administration has handed over 23 of them to families after identification.
Also, 12 unidentified decomposed bodies were buried at Madaripur’s Shibchar.
Madaripur’s Civil Surgeon Bashudeb Kumar Das said they had collected samples for DNA tests and taken pictures of the bodies.
Munshiganj’s Deputy Commissioner Md Saiful Hasan Badal has said, as per their list, 126 Pinak-6 passengers were still missing.
Prayers said
Special prayers were said at all mosques in Munshiganj and Madaripur after Juma prayers for the dead and for quick retrieval of the launch.
Recovery attempts to continue
Pinak-6 went down at the Louhajang turning point while it was going to Mawa from Kewrakandi.
After several days of failed attempts to locate and recover the launch, rescuers had said it would be possible to pinpoint its position after survey vessel Jarip-10 reached there from Chittagong.
Navy headquarters’ Deputy Director Commander Habibul Alam said Jarip-10 did a daylong search after arriving at Mawa around 6am Friday.
It was accompanied by tug boat Kandari-2, ships Teesta, Sandhani, IT-97 and Ba-Dwip, but their scouring drew blank.
Salvage ships ‘Nirvik’ and ‘Rustam’ are waiting in the middle of the river as the sunken launch has not been located yet.
BIWTA Chairman Shamsuddoha Khandker told bdnews24.com a meeting between Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan and relevant officials of joint rescue operations on Friday evening decided that the recovery efforts will continue until satisfactory results came.
“The echo sounder we are using are also used in different countries during salvage operations. The sub-bottom profiler we are using can scan 30 feet underground and 300 feet sideways.”
“We are still hopeful of finding the launch.”
Divers and rescuers of the Fire Service and Civil Defence have been a part of the salvage operation since day one.
About the search progress, its DG Ali Ahmed Khan said, “The riverbed is changing fast. This is making our search very tough.”
The launch might have been covered by silts, or strong currents could have moved it downstream, he said. “We are conducting search considering both possibilities.”
Asked whether it would be possible to salvage Pinak-6 if it was covered by silt, Khan said, “The launch is made of wood and steel, so its comparatively light.”
“That’s why it will be possible for the salvage ships to bring the launch up even it is found under silt.
“If that attempt fails, we may try cutting the launch and bringing it up piece by piece.”
Source: bdnews24