Iranian ship struggles in choppy Bangladesh water

DHAKA, July 2 (Reuters) Stormy weather in the Bay of Bengal has hampered operations to rescue a troubled Iranian vessel off Bangladesh's Mongla port, port officials said today.

Bangladesh navy vessels were assisting the Iranian flagged vessel Mir Damad, a container ship with 18 crew members, after it sent a distress signal yesterday.

''The crew are now trying to restart the engine of the ship after pumping out water that it had taken in,'' said Mongla port official Mohammad Sharif.

The crew hopes to return the vessel to either Mongla or Chittagong port, the ship's local agent said.

The ship, which has a cracked hull, was bound for the Indian port of Kolkata from Chittagong, was some 35 km (22 miles) southwest of Mongla port.

REUTERS SKB VC1306