Passenger ship runs aground in Midnapore

HALDIA, West Bengal: M V Harshavardhan, a passenger liner of Shipping Corporation of India, on Sunday ran aground near Gaonkhali in East Midnapore district after it developed a technical snag and hit three jetties, Kolkata Port Trust (KPT) and police said.
The ship, carrying a large number of passengers to the Andamans, hit the bank at around 8.41 am after the steering gear of the liner failed and the bow hit the bank, director marine department of KPT, Captain Gautam Sen said in Kolkata.
The ship was crossing the Hooghly river before entering the Bay of Bengal when the incident happened, he said.
No casualties were reported in the ship or at the bank, police said, adding the passengers were not allowed to disembark as per rules.
A KPT tug had been sent, while the KPT pilot vessel which was guiding the ship to the Sandheads was also working to assist the ship, Sen said.
The ship was likely to resume journey on Monday, he added.
Two Coast Guard ships have reached the spot from here to provide necessary help.