200 tourists fall into Naf as wooden gangway collapses
At least 200 tourists fell into the river Naf and 50 of them received injuries when a wooden gangway collapsed at Damdamia ghat (terminal) in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar yesterday.
Police and local people said at least 1,000 tourists, mostly women and children, gathered at the ghat to board the ship MV Abdur Rab Serniabat to St Martin's Island.
Suddenly a portion of the gangway caved in dumping the tourists into the water.
On information, upazila nirbahi officer rushed to the spot and rescued the tourists with help of coastguards and members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The injured tourists were admitted to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex while the rest were given first aid.
“Thanks to the Almighty we avoided fatalities as the water was only four to five feet deep where the gangway collapsed,” Lt Col Md Zahid Hasan, captain of Teknaf 42 BGB, told The Daily Star.
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