Twelve crew members went missing as a lighter vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal near Bhashanchar of Noakhali district on Saturday.

Captain Kazi Shah Alam, Zonal Commander of Coast Guard East Zone, said the lighter vessel named ‘Sajal-Tanmoy-2’ sank in the Bay of Bengal, 12 nautical miles off the southern area of Bhashanchar around 9:30 am.

Twelve crew members of the vessel remained missing after the accident.

On information, a team of Coast Guard left for the spot but they failed to reach there due to rough sea.