Kolkata, 13 August (H.S.): A major accident was narrowly averted near the Nurpur ferry ghat in Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas, on Wednesday when a large container vessel lost control and rammed into the embankment along the Hooghly river.

The impact sent the vessel's bow dangerously close to the road running alongside the riverbank, triggering panic among residents and people in the vicinity. A portion of the embankment was reportedly damaged in the collision, raising concerns among locals about the possibility of water entering nearby areas during high tide.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred amid strong tidal currents in the Hooghly during the new moon period. The container-laden vessel was navigating through the designated channel when it suddenly appeared to lose control and drift towards the riverbank.

The vessel involved has been identified as MV Nawata Bhum, a Singapore-flagged container ship travelling from Port Klang in Malaysia to the Kolkata port. The vessel is approximately 147.82 metres long and has a deadweight capacity of around 13,852 tonnes, according to available information.

The ship was passing through a sharp bend in the Hooghly near Diamond Harbour when the incident occurred. Officials have initially indicated that the strong river current and a possible malfunction in the vessel's steering system could have contributed to the accident. The exact cause, however, is yet to be established and is being investigated.

Sources said that after the master of the vessel noticed a problem with the steering system, he repeatedly sounded the ship's horn to alert people along the riverbank. Fortunately, there was no ferry or large boat near the ghat at the time, preventing what could have been a far more serious accident.

Following the collision, a crack was reportedly noticed in the Hooghly river embankment at Nurpur. The ship's bow reached close to the section where a road runs along the embankment, leading to claims on social media that the vessel had “climbed onto the road” or damaged the road itself.

Available information, however, indicates that the vessel struck the river embankment with considerable force, damaging a portion of the embankment. The reported crack has raised concerns among local residents over the possibility of river water entering nearby areas during high tide.

Administrative officials and representatives of the concerned agencies reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. The vessel's pilot also informed the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority (SMPA) following the collision.

There were no reports of casualties or injuries in the incident. Preliminary information also suggests that the vessel's main structure did not suffer major damage and that it can be moved away from the embankment with the assistance of tugboats.

Incidents involving large vessels near Nurpur are not entirely unprecedented. A government disaster management document records an incident on March 22, 2008, when a vessel reportedly suffered a steering failure while navigating the sharp bend near Nurpur, became grounded in the river and collided with a jetty.

The latest incident has once again raised concerns among local residents over navigation safety in the sensitive stretch of the Hooghly. Questions are being raised about whether navigation systems and safety arrangements for large cargo vessels navigating the sharp bend near Nurpur need to be strengthened to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh