Indian Coast Guard rescues 20 Bangladeshi fishermen

New Delhi, October 26

The Indian Coast Guard has rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen from the sea off the Sagar Island near the India-Bangladesh International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) after their boats had capsised.

The fishermen were rescued on Tuesday and subsequently handed over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard.

A search and rescue operation was launched after a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft on surveillance sortie post the landfall of cyclone Sitrang sighted the capsised boats and alerted the rescue teams.

The survivors were clinging onto the floats and debris from the sunken fishing boat. The Indian Coast Guard plane dropped a life raft in the vicinity and remained in the area till the survivors embarked on it.

The pilot then requested merchant vessel Nanta Bhum, which was in the vicinity during its passage from Port Klang in Malaysia to Kolkata, to pick up 20 persons from the life raft.

The 20 Bangladeshi fishermen were subsequently taken over by Indian Coast Guard ship Vijaya. — TNS