Tourist swept away at Dublar Char's Alorkol still missing after 24 hours
A tourist named Md Riaz Ahmed (25) went missing after being swept away by strong waves and currents while bathing at Alorkol sea beach on Dublar Char in the Sundarbans. The Coast Guard and the Forest Department are jointly conducting a rescue operation to find him.
The incident happened at around 3 pm on Friday. By 3 pm on Saturday, there was still no trace of him.
The missing Riaz Ahmed is a resident of Kathali Paschimpara in Bhaluka municipality of Mymensingh. His father's name is Abul Bashar Dhali and his mother's name is Rumela Khatun. The Forest Department identified him from the national identity card found in the bag he was carrying.
According to the Forest Department, at around 3 pm on Friday, 10 tourists reached Alorkol on a wooden tourist launch named 'Ecotourism' after visiting Hiron Point and Nilkamal in the Sundarbans. They then reached Alorkol Char by trawler from the launch.
After landing on Alorkol Char, three tourists went to bathe at the sea beach. At one point, Riaz was swept into the sea by strong waves and currents. Seeing the incident, fishermen of Alorkol shutki palli immediately informed the Coast Guard and the Forest Department.
Forest Ranger Md Khalilur Rahman, the officer in charge of the Dublar Char special patrol post under the Sharonkhola Range of the eastern Sundarbans, said searches are being carried out along the seashore and various chars in the forest for the missing tourist. Along with the Forest Department and the Coast Guard, his fellow travellers are also taking part in the operation.
Md Khalilur Rahman also said the chances of recovery are low until the body floats up. Searching by sending divers into the vast sea is extremely difficult. It may take one or two more days to find the body.
The missing tourist's family members have been informed. They have left Bhaluka in Mymensingh for Alorkol.
Lieutenant Md Abul Kashem, media officer of the Coast Guard's West Zone, said a Coast Guard patrol team was sent to the spot immediately after receiving news of the missing tourist. Since then, the search operation has continued.
Md Hasanur Rahman, Divisional Forest Officer of the Khulna region of the Sundarbans West Division, said that on Friday morning, two tourist launches left for Dublar Char in the eastern Sundarbans with permits from the Burigoalini Forest Station of the Satkhira Range in the western Sundarbans. There were 30 tourists on the two launches. One of them was reported to have been swept away in the sea.
By 3 pm on Saturday, 24 hours after the incident, there was still no trace of Riaz Ahmed. The joint rescue operation by the Coast Guard and the Forest Department is continuing.
