Singapore-registered containership Nawata Bhum hit an embankment along the Hooghly River while on its way to Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, yesterday (Aug 12).
Videos of the incident posted on social media show the container-laden ship heading directly towards the riverbank. The ship does not appear to slow down or alter course before the collision.
The ship’s horn can be heard sounding repeatedly as it approaches the riverbank. Moments later, the ship’s bow becomes lodged in the embankment.
Based on the footage reviewed by AsiaOne, there were no other vessels in the ship’s immediate path at the time of the incident.
The road running alongside the embankment also appeared deserted, with no visible damage from the collision apart from affected vegetation.
Checks by AsiaOne on vessel-tracking platform MarineTraffic showed the vessel making a right turn north of Latpatia at around 10.26am (India time).
Its declared next port of call was Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, formerly known as Kolkata Port.
Over the next 40 minutes, the ship continued to sail on a relatively steady course before crashing into the embankment near Diamond Harbour, where it remained aground until about 10.30pm, when tugboats pulled it free.
As of 10.20am on Thursday, two tugboats remain attached to the container ship off Diamond Harbour.
Its navigational status was listed as “at anchor”, according to the ship’s automatic identification system (AIS).
Local media reported that the ship lost steerage after its steering system purportedly became jammed. ASIAONE
