Buried MV Tony Best Unearthed After Three Decades

Excavation work to recover a foreign vessel long buried beneath the fertile fields of Urirchar has intensified in recent weeks. Since 4 January, multiple excavators have been operating in the northern-western area of Char Nangta, a remote part of Urirchar Union in Sandwip. Each day, the site attracts growing crowds of local residents and curious onlookers eager to witness the historic operation.

Currently, the excavation has reached a depth of approximately 17 feet, although the ship’s main structure remains unseen. The digging is taking place across paddy fields approximately 15 kilometres from Urirchar’s Banglabazar, near the contingent of the Coast Guard. Two excavators are being used to clear an area 50 feet wide and 200 feet long in order to reach the vessel buried beneath decades of sediment.

The ship, MV Tony Best, ran aground off the Noakhali coast in 1993 while under the ownership of Liberia-based Best Shipping Corporation. At the time of the grounding, the area was largely uninhabited, consisting only of open tidal flats and isolated chars. Over the subsequent thirty years, sediment accumulation allowed permanent settlement and cultivation to develop, effectively burying the vessel out of sight.

Local resident and eyewitness Mukbul Hossain, 75, popularly known as “Mukbul Batani,” recounted: “When the ship ran aground, people in the vicinity took valuable items from it. Over time, the vessel slowly sank beneath the soil.”

The current owner of MV Tony Best is Messrs Raihan Traders, who intend to recover the vessel for scrap. Officials report that the ship measures 470 feet in length and 68 feet in breadth.

Since 1993, the ship has changed hands multiple times. Initially purchased by Muslim Traders for 5.4 million Taka, portions of the vessel were salvaged, but complete recovery proved impossible. Subsequent attempts stalled due to lack of equipment, including a 2010 effort by Dhaka-based Yusuf Ali, which also failed.

Leading the current excavation, Mohammad Jamal Uddin has acquired ten acres to confirm the ship’s location. Heavy machinery limitations have slowed progress, yet borehole surveys indicate that the vessel’s lowest point lies at 32 feet and its highest at 50 feet below the surface. Optimistically, the main structure is expected to appear once digging reaches around 40 feet.

Since operations began, local interest has surged, with daily crowds and animated discussions. Residents believe the project not only enriches the region’s historical narrative but has also stimulated the local soil and labour market. After 33 years, the recovery of MV Tony Best is set to become a defining chapter in Urirchar’s history.