16 fishermen rescued from Indian territory

Sixteen Bangladeshi fishermen drifting on the Indian territory of the Bay of Bengal were rescued by Indian Coast Guard on Saturday.

The fishermen crossed the Indian maritime boundary after their engine boat went out of order amid the recent turbulent weather caused by a cyclone in the bay.

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Indian Coast Guard vessel the 'Sucheta Kripalani', during a routine patrol off the coast of Indian state of Odisha, sighted the Bangladeshi fishing boat approximately 35 nautical miles east of Paradip port.

A team was sent out from the patrol vessel immediately to investigate the matter, said an ICG official, adding that the master and the crew on the fishing boat told the ICG investigators "they sailed on November 2 from Patuakhali in Bangladesh and had been drifting since November 3" after the boat's propeller shaft started to malfunction amid cyclonic weather.

The ICG provided necessary medical and food assistance to the fishermen and towed the fishing boat to Paradip anchorage for further investigation, he said.

After the credentials of the fishermen were determined and authenticity of the incident was established by a joint interrogation team consisting all departments concerned, the ICG provided technical assistance to repair the fishing boat, he added.

Currently the ICG is escorting the fishing boat toward the maritime boundary of Bangladesh with its 16 crew members on board.