A laden lighterage vessel sank near the Sandwip channel this morning after being hit by another.  However, all of its 13 crews managed to reach safety.

Mermaid-2, a lighterage vessel carryin 1,000 tonnes of maize, sank following a collision with another vessel Salman Selim, our Chittagong correspondent reports quoting Nobi Alam, general secretary of Lighterage Vessel Workers Union.

Mermaid-2, carrying goods owned by City Group, was heading for Narayanganj, from the outer anchorage point of Chittagong Port.

Mahbub Rashid, an executive director of Water Transport Cell, a private organisation that coordinates the vessels, said a major portion of the vessel sink by 12:00pm.

All 13 crew members Mermaid-2 climbed aboard Salman Selim, both sources said.