Nine people were killed and several others injured after a suspected toxic gas leak inside a ship being dismantled at a shipbreaking yard in Bangladesh on 14 August.
The incident occurred at around 9:00 a.m. local time at a yard in Sitakunda, on the outskirts of the southeastern port city of Chattogram, according to Md Alamgir, an inspector at the local Sitakunda Police Station.
“Two more bodies were found at the yard at around 2:30 p.m. local time after six deaths had already been confirmed there,” he said.
Another injured worker’s death was reported later in the day at a private hospital in Chattogram. Some of the injured were rushed to hospitals before the police arrived at the accident scene, the official said, adding, “We can’t immediately confirm the total number of injured.”
According to Bangladeshi media outlets workers at a ship recycling yard in Sitakunda, Chattogram, were cutting into a ballast tank when hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) gas was released, killing nine workers and injuring several others. An assistant inspector from the Department of Explosives confirmed that excessive H₂S concentrations caused the deaths.
Records relating to the vessel’s dismantling reportedly showed that the ballast water had been drained on 5 July 2025, when the vessel arrived in Chattogram. However, residual organic matter and sediment inside the tank can continue to generate H₂S through the activity of sulphate-reducing bacteria. H₂S is a colourless and highly toxic gas that can rapidly become fatal at elevated concentrations, while also impairing the sense of smell, making detection by odour unreliable.
The yard’s environmental clearance, issued by the Chattogram Department of Environment, was valid until 12 August 2026. The incident occurred two days after the clearance expired. Under Bangladeshi regulations, ship recycling yards are required to apply for renewal at least one month before expiry. Despite around 30% of the vessel reportedly still awaiting dismantling, the yard had not applied for renewal.
The Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board (BSRB) has suspended the yard’s operations pending further action and announced compensation for the families of those killed.
Separately, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments had filed a case against the yard in July over alleged safety violations. An investigation committee has since been formed to examine the cause of the incident, potential negligence and other shortcomings, with its report expected within a week.
Mohammed Mohsin Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association (BSBRA), also told a local daily newspaper that efforts were underway to airlift at least two critically injured workers to Dhaka by helicopter for advanced treatment.