A sailor went missing early Saturday after falling from a bulkhead vessel into the Pashur River at Mongla Port. A search operation is underway.

Md Makruzzaman, deputy secretary of Mongla Port Authority, said Ramzan Hossain Rabbi, 20, a sailor of the MV Shova vessel, accidentally slipped into the river around 5:30am while the vessel was moored opposite Jetty-5.

Following the incident, the coast guard, navy, and fire service launched a search under the port authority’s supervision.

Rabbi is the son of Jalil Shikdar of Kathalia in Jhalakathi.

Muzaffar Molla, master of MV Shova, said the vessel had left Rampal power plant around 4am after loading gypsum for Dhaka’s Meghna Ghat. “Rabbi brought me a cup of tea, then sat with two other crew members at the vessel’s side. He accidentally fell into the river. We searched immediately but could not find him.”

He added that seven crew members were on board and emergency services arrived after a 999 call to begin the search.