Bagerhat: A cargo vessel carrying 510 tonnes of coal capsized in the River Pasur in Mongla upazila near the Sundarbans on Tuesday night.

The Chandpai Navy police camp sub-inspector Md Nazrul Islam said a Khulna-bound coal laden cargo ship named MV GR Raj from Mongla Port capsized with 510 tonnes of coal at Beauty Market area in the River Pasur near the Sundarbans as the keel of the ship was fractured at about 9:00pm.

Later, locals rescued the 10 crews of the vessel from the river in a trawler.

A three member probe committee, headed by assistant forest conservator (Chandpai Range) of the Forest Department Mohammad Belayet Hossain, has been formed in this connection.

The committee has been asked to submit the report within Wednesday.

Md Saidul Isalm, Divisional Forest Officer of Sundarbans East Zone said the sunken coal laden cargo may harm the ecosystem of the Sundarbans, world’s largest mangrove forest.

The salvage operation of the cargo did not start till the filing of the report at about 1:00am on Wednesday.