New Zealand teenager drowns after custom vessel capsizes off Coxs Bazar coast

The body of a 16-year-old New Zealander was recovered from the Kutubdia Bazar beach in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday, a day after his family’s custom-built boat capsized in the Bay of Bengal.

The victim, Albert, had been missing since Tuesday morning, when the vessel, named Island Girl, encountered heavy swells near the Sonadia Channel off Maheshkhali. His parents, identified as Edward and 36-year-old Bela, along with his 13-year-old brother, Ralph, were rescued by nearby local fishermen shortly after the incident.

According to police and local authorities, the family had departed from the Nazirartek coast in Cox’s Bazar at approximately 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, intending to travel to Chittagong to renew the visas of the two children. Witnesses reported that the boat, a modern twin-hull vessel, was struck by intense currents and rough waves, causing the structure to break apart and overturn.

Edward and Ralph, who were on the deck at the time, survived the accident, as did Bela. Survivors indicated that Bela had been in the cabin attempting to secure a life jacket on Albert when the boat suddenly disintegrated. They suspect the teenager, who did not know how to swim, may have drowned because his life jacket was not properly fastened.

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The Island Girl was a sophisticated craft designed for personal adventure and sea travel. It was constructed over a two-year period at the SMPara dock in Cox’s Bazar. The vessel featured modern amenities, including air-conditioned cabins, a kitchen, and refrigeration. Following its completion, the family had frequently used the boat for excursions around the Maheshkhali and Sonadia channels.

A local fisherman named Masud, who witnessed the collapse, noted that the vessel was unable to withstand the sudden, powerful currents in the channel. The wreckage of the boat was recovered Tuesday afternoon after local trawlers towed it back to the Nazirartek shore.

Police have transferred the body of the teenager to the Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem procedures. Local authorities continue to investigate the incident.