Cyclone Sitrang: 20 Bangladeshi fishermen rescued after boat capsizes in sea

The Indian Coast Guard rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen following a swift search and rescue operation post landfall of cyclone Sitrang on October 25 (Tuesday).

As per reports, the fishermen were clinching onto floats and debris from a sunken fishing boat. It is pertinent to mention here that the Indian Coast Guard had launched its Dornier aircraft to conduct a surveillance in the area close to the coast off Odisha and West Bengal and assist mariners who might have been affected or stranded during the passage of the cyclone.

The 20 fishermen were sighted about 90 nautical miles from Sagar Island near Indo-Bangladesh International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) after their boat had capsized under the impact of cyclone Sitrang.

#WATCH | In a swift co-ordinated search & rescue operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen from the sea on 25th October, upon being sighted by Coast Guard Dornier aircraft which was on surveillance sortie post-landfall of cyclone "SITRANG". pic.twitter.com/aweIv6wtSs

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2022

The Indian Coast Guard aircraft dropped liferaft and remained in the area till the survivors embarked the liferaft. The aircraft also diverted merchant vessel ‘Nanta Bhum’ which was close to the area (on its way to Kolkata from port Klang in Malaysia) to pick the 20 persons from the liferaft. Subsequently, the 20 Bangladeshi fishermen were taken over by Indian Coast Guard ship Vijaya.

All of them will be handed over to Bangladesh Coast Guard as per MoU signed between Indian Coast Guard and Bangladesh Coast Guard.