Trawlers go down in Bay

Three fishermen drowned in the Bay of Bengal on Friday afternoon after a fishing trawler carrying them capsized near Naziratek-Bakkhali channel of Kutubdia island in Cox's Bazar.

One of the three bodies was recovered from the Bay near Najirartek point yesterday. The two others were floating in the Moheshkhali-Sonadia channel, police and Coastguard said.

Meanwhile, scores of fishermen were reportedly missing in the Bay since Friday afternoon after they were caught in rough seas.

Police recovered the body of Md Aiyub, 50, from the channel near Khuruskul area around 5:00pm yesterday after locals spotted it, said SI Md Amzad Hossain of Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station.

Aiyub was a resident of Hazir Ghona area in Cox's Bazar town.

Lt Commander Md Hamidul Islam, in-charge of Cox's Bazar coastguard station, said they informed the trawler owners' association about the two floating bodies in Moheshkhali–Sonadia channel.

Efforts were being made to recover the bodies with the help of local fishermen, he said.

In Patuakhali, 16 fishermen went missing on Friday after five fishing trawlers sank in the Bay near Kuakata. However, 56 fishermen were rescued.

Our New Delhi correspondent adds: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) yesterday rescued 10 Bangladeshi fishermen who were caught in cyclonic weather in the Bay of Bengal.

The ICG ship Anmol spotted the Bangladeshi fishermen near the Bhangaduni Island in the morning.

After rescuing them, the fishermen were given first aid and provided food and water, the Coast Guard tweeted.

The rescued fishermen told ICG that they had left Mongla on August 16 and were caught in cyclonic weather. Their boat with 12 fishermen on it capsized on August 19 due to gusty winds prevailing in the area.

The search for the remaining two missing Bangladeshi fishermen was underway by ICG.

The rescued fishermen were being sent to Haldia for further formalities to send them back to Bangladesh.

Our correspondents in Cox's Bazar and Patuakhali contributed to this report.