Around 150 tourists were stranded at St Martin’s Island in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar yesterday due to rough seas.
The local administration suspended the movement of all types of vessels on Teknaf-St Martin’s Island route yesterday morning as the meteorological department asked the maritime ports in Cox’s Bazar to hoist cautionary signal number 3.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Adnan Chowdhury said some 150 tourists have been stranded at the island since Friday noon.
The local government officials and public representatives have been asked to assist the tourists, he said.
They will be brought back to Teknaf once the weather improves, the UNO said.
However, locals have put the number of stranded tourists at over 200.
St Martin’s Union Parishad Chairman Mujibur Rahman said, “We asked the tourists to leave the island yesterday [Friday] as the sea was getting rough. But many turned down our request and decided to stay at the island. They are safe now.”
If the weather improves tomorrow, they will be able to leave the island, he added.
The administration permitted a tourist ship — MV Baro Awlia — to start services on Teknaf-St Martin’s Island route for one week from Wednesday on an experimental basis.
Meanwhile, a woman passenger of a speed boat died on Friday afternoon as the vessel capsized in the Bay near St Martin’s Island after a crack developed in its hull, said the UP chairman.