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SINGAPORE \u2013 A Singapore-flagged container ship crashed into a riverbank in West Bengal, India, on Aug 12, reportedly owing to turbulent conditions and possible steering malfunctions.<\/p>\n
A video of the incident, posted on social media on Aug 12, shows a vessel loaded with containers heading directly towards a riverbank before crashing into the embankment of the Hooghly River.<\/p>\n
The vessel, Nawata Bhum, is a Singapore-flagged container ship, according to vessel-tracking platform MarineTraffic.<\/p>\n
The vessel had departed Port Klang in Malaysia on Aug 3 and was on its way to Kolkata\u2019s Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.<\/p>\n
AsiaOne, citing tracking data from MarineTraffic, reported that the vessel crashed into an embankment near Diamond Harbour at around 11am local time (1.30pm Singapore time) on Aug 12.<\/p>\n
The harbour is located about 50km south of Kolkata.<\/p>\n
MarineTraffic said the ship \u201cfailed to recover from a bend in the river\u201d at Diamond Harbour after sailing approximately 50km from the port.<\/p>\n
In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it had been informed of the accident.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe vessel has since been refloated and is stable,\u201d said an MPA spokesperson, who added that it is currently at anchor.<\/p>\n
A refloated vessel is one that is floating in water again after it has run aground or sunk.<\/p>\n
The authority added that there were no reported injuries among the 22 crew members on board, nor were there any Singaporeans on the vessel.<\/p>\n
No pollution has been reported from the crash, MPA said, adding that it will investigate the incident.<\/p>\n
The vessel\u2019s failure to turn was mainly attributed to strong currents and turbulent conditions, as well as a suspected steering malfunction, according to MarineTraffic.<\/p>\n
Local media outlet The Hans India reported that the Hooghly River, where the accident took place, is known for its sharp bends and bars.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe steering gear sometimes gets stuck, particularly when a ship is attempting to recover from a turn,\u201d a local official told the media outlet.<\/p>\n
The official added that once the ship\u2019s captain realised the vessel\u2019s steering was jammed, he blared the vessel\u2019s horn to alert others in the area.<\/p>\n
The video shows no ferries in the vessel\u2019s path as it heads for a collision with the riverbank.<\/p>\n
The ship\u2019s pilot reported the incident to the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority immediately after the crash, MarineTraffic reported.<\/p>\n
According to MarineTraffic and The Hans India, tugboats were dispatched to the accident location and will wait for the next high tide to pull out the container ship.<\/p>\n
The Straits Times has contacted the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority, and the ship\u2019s owner Regional Container Lines for more information.<\/p>\n