Three trawlers sink in Bay, 13 fishermen missing

At least 13 fishermen remain missing after three fishing trawlers sank in the Bay of Bengal off the Kuakata coast in Patuakhali over the past three days due to rough weather triggered by a low-pressure system.

At least five other fishing trawlers were also damaged by stormy winds and high waves. The information was confirmed by Raju Ahmed Raja, acting president of the Mahipur Matsya Arat Malik Samabay Samity.

He said a small fishing trawler carrying six fishermen sank near Char Bijoy in the Bay of Bengal at around 1:00 pm on Wednesday.

The owner of the trawler, Masud Majhi, was rescued, but five fishermen remain missing.

In another incident, a trawler named FB Mahima from Fakirhat sank about 17 kilometres offshore in the Bay of Bengal at around 5:00 pm on Tuesday.

Sixteen fishermen aboard the trawler were rescued on Wednesday afternoon, while two others remain missing.

Earlier, on Sunday, another fishing trawler owned by Imadul of Kharida village in Galachipa upazila sank about 60 kilometres offshore with 11 fishermen on board. Five fishermen were rescued, but six remain missing.

Kalapara Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Apu Saha said rescue efforts are continuing to locate the missing fishermen.”The Coast Guard is conducting search and rescue operations, and we are monitoring the situation closely,” he said.