Tourist ship catches fire in Sunderbans, 26 rescued

A fire broke out in a tourist launch with 26 on board under Harbaria area of Chandpai range in the Sunderbans, on Friday evening. 
The Khulna circle conservator of forests, Zahir Uddin Ahmed, said that the fire occurred around 6:30pm. 
The cause of the fire could not be known immediately.
The launch, Pelican-1, left Mongla with the tourists in a sightseeing trip into the Sunderbans, the conservator said.
He said the forest department staff rescued all the tourists from the launch and no one was hurt. 
The rescued tourists were taken to Harbaria forest camp.
Zahir said the Bangladesh Coast Guard personnel had reached the area and were trying to douse the flame around 8:00pm. 
Coast Guard’s Mongla zone official lieutenant commander Ahad told New Age that two teams had been working on the scene. 
He said they did not have any developments as the spot was deep inside the mangrove forest. However, additional teams were dispatched to the affected ship with equipment and other aids, he added. 

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