Iranian vessel struggles in Bangladesh water

Iranian crew with help from Bangladesh navy, were struggling on Sunday to keep their ship afloat in the Bay of Bengal after it started taking water, port officials said.

Bangladesh navy vessels prompted a rescue operation after the Iranian flagged vessel Mir Damad, a container ship with 18 crew members, sent a distress signal.

"Several machines have been put in operation to pump out water and efforts are being made to seal the crack in the bottom of the ship," said an official of the B.S. Cargo Limited, the local agent of the ship.

The vessel, bound for the Indian port of Kolkata from Bangladesh's main Chittagong port, was some 35 km (22 miles) southwest of Mongla port.

The rescuers were also trying to reignite the engine of the ship after it went out of order following a crack in the bottom. The cause of the crack was not immediately known.

"The ship is taking water and started sinking slowly," a Mongla port official said earlier.