KOLKATA, Aug 13 — A Singapore-flagged container ship crashed into a riverbank in West Bengal, India, after reportedly failing to negotiate a bend in the River Hooghly, with strong currents and a suspected steering malfunction blamed for the incident.

The Straits Times reported that the vessel, Nawata Bhum, crashed into an embankment near Diamond Harbour at about 11am local time on Wednesday, citing vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic.

There were no reports of injuries in the incident, while a video posted on social media showed the container ship, laden with containers, heading towards the riverbank before hitting the embankment.

The vessel had departed Port Klang, Malaysia, on August 3 and was bound for Kolkata’s Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.

MarineTraffic said the ship had “failed to recover from a bend in the river” at Diamond Harbour after sailing about 50km from the port, with strong currents, turbulent conditions and a suspected steering malfunction cited as possible factors.

Diamond Harbour is about 50km south of Kolkata, while the River Hooghly is known for its sharp bends and sandbars, according to Indian media outlet The Hans India.

“The steering gear sometimes gets stuck, particularly when a ship is attempting to recover from a turn,” a local official told The Hans India.

The official said the captain realised the steering had jammed and alerted nearby vessels by repeatedly sounding the ship’s horn.

Video footage showed no ferries in the ship’s path as it headed towards the riverbank.

MarineTraffic reported that the ship’s pilot contacted the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority immediately after the crash to report the incident.

Tugboats were subsequently sent to the site and will wait for the next high tide to pull the container ship away from the riverbank, according to MarineTraffic and The Hans India.

The vessel is registered under Singapore’s flag, according to MarineTraffic, while its owner is Regional Container Lines.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority and Regional Container Lines have been contacted for further information.