Tourist missing after swimming off Sundarbans’ Dublar Char; search underway

A tourist identified as Riaz went missing after strong waves swept him away while he was bathing off Alorkol at Dublar Char in the eastern Sundarbans. Multiple sources confirmed that the incident occurred on Friday (6 November) afternoon on the beach near the Alorkol dried-fish settlement in the eastern Sundarbans’ Sharankhola Range.

The Coast Guard, Forest Department and local fishermen began a rescue operation after learning of his disappearance. However, the tourist remained missing as of 10pm on Friday. Those involved said the search would resume on Saturday morning for a second day.

According to sources familiar with the incident, a tourist launch named ‘Ecotourism’ reached Alorkol around 3pm on Friday with 20 tourists after visiting Hiron Point and Nilkamal. The tourists then travelled from the launch to Alorkol Char by trawler. Three of them entered the sea to bathe and were swimming when strong waves and currents swept Riaz away.

Local fishermen quickly took trawlers out to search the sea after noticing the incident. Coast Guard and Forest Department personnel later joined the rescue operation. Despite a lengthy search, they could not find him.

Motasim Farazi, president of the Rampal Fishermen’s Association at the Alorkol dried-fish settlement, and its general secretary, Md Zakir Sheikh, said the tourist launch had arrived from Nilkamal and anchored at sea near Alorkol. The tourists then came ashore by trawler. Three entered the water to bathe, and one went under after strong waves swept him away while they were swimming. Fishermen launched a rescue effort after hearing the news but could not find him.

Lieutenant Md Abul Kashem, media officer for the Coast Guard’s West Zone, said a patrol team was sent to the scene as soon as the force learned that a tourist was missing. The search was continuing, but rough seas and darkness were causing some difficulties, he said.

Md Hasanur Rahman, divisional forest officer (DFO) for the Khulna region of the Sundarbans West Division, said two tourist launches had travelled to Dublar Char on Friday morning after obtaining permission from Burigoalini Forest Station in the Satkhira Range. The two launches carried a total of 30 tourists. He said he had received news that one of them had gone missing at sea, but it had not been confirmed which launch the missing tourist had travelled on. The Coast Guard and Forest Department were jointly conducting the rescue operation, he added.