The roof of the barge’s cabin peeps out of the river. Picture by Amit Datta

Diamond Harbour, June 23: An 800-tonne barge from Bangladesh sank in the Hooghly this morning after its steering wire snapped and it hit the shallows.

The dozen Bangladeshi crew members and an Indian who was directing the vessel through the river jumped into the water and were rescued by local boatmen 500m from the bank at Noorpur here in South 24-Parganas.

Calcutta Port Trust officials said MV Nilan was heading to Bangladesh around 6.45 with 700 tonnes of rods from Kidderpore dock.

“A preliminary probe has revealed that the steering wire had snapped, which caused the capsize,” said Anindya Majumdar, deputy chairman of the Calcutta Port Trust.

After the snap, the barge — 44 metres long and four-and-half metres high — veered towards the western bank and hit the shallows. Then it sank gradually.

Officials of the Central Inland Waterways Corporation will inquire into the exact cause of the accident.

Representatives of the Bangladeshi company that owns the barge — MN Shipping Lines — will reach here tomorrow for a meeting with port trust and waterways officials. A salvage operation will start on Wednesday.

“The incident has not blocked the navigation channel and shipping operations on the route have not been affected,” said Majumdar.

Boatman Rejaul Sheikh said: “I saw the sailors jumping into the river and raised the alarm. All the boats nearby sailed towards the barge.”

The local people provided the crew with dry clothes and snacks before police arrived.

Barishal resident Mohammad Najibul said: “I’m sailing for five years but have never been on a sinking ship. It was very scary.”

After being rescued, the crew was made to wait on a launch till late this evening because, a policeman said, they were Bangladeshis.

“Port trust officials will take them away and arrange for their accommodation,” said block development officer Samar Ghosh.