Two labourers die of suffocation on ship carrying soya bean at KPT

• A high-level inquiry has been directed and the report will be made public within 24 hours, says Faisal Subzwari.
• Labourers suffocated due to abundance of dust particles and no oxygen, he says  
• Ship carrying 62,000 tonnes of soya bean docked at port, says Police.

Two labourers lost their life from suffocation on a cargo ship carrying soya bean at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Geo News reported.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Faisal Subzwari, in a tweet, confirmed the deaths.

He later rejected reports regarding leakage of toxic gas.

The latest incident triggered panic similar to the one after the 2020 gas leakage incident from a container carrying soya bean docked at KPT. It had claimed the lives of 14 people and affected more than 300.

Late Monday night, two labourers mistakenly entered a hatch of a ship carrying soya beans and lost their life due to dust particles and suffocation. The bodies of the labourers have been recovered from the hatch of the ship and shifted to the hospital.

According to the police, a ship carrying 62,000 tonnes of soya bean was docked at the East Wharf.

Taking to Twitter, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Faisal Subzwari confirmed the deaths and spurned reports regarding leakage of toxic gas.

“Unfortunately, 2 labourers entered in a wrong hatch of the ship at East Wharf. Due to the abundance of dust particles, and no oxygen they suffocated. Rescue operation is going on, 1 body is recovered just minutes ago,” he said.

Later, Federal Minister also uploaded a video of rescue work and said, “we all standing here including chairman KPT and other workers, although there is no toxic gas,” adding that, “another body of labour has also been recovered.”

Faisal Subzwari further stated that a high-level inquiry has been directed and the report will be made public within 24 hours.