19 Bangladeshi fishermen rescued

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has rescued 19 Bangladeshi fishermen from a boat which suffered a machine breakdown in the Bay of Bengal away from the West Bengal coast.

On Monday night an ICG aircraft, on an operational task in the sea, noticed the Bangladeshi fishing boat: Rana with 19 crew members aboard, drifting in the Indian exclusive economic zone after its machine broke down.

AN ICG aircraft noticed the Bangladeshi fishing boat: Rana with 19 crew members aboard, drifting in the Indian exclusive economic zone after its machine broke down.

THE 19 fishermen, found exhausted with no ration onboard, were provided with first aid, food and water by ICGS Varad.

The boat had left Coxbazar (Bangladesh) on November 15 for fishing and remained adrift for long.

“The boat was contacted on VHF radio to which no response was received. The aircraft passed the information to Indian

Coast Guard Ship (ICGS)

Varad that was deployed in Bay of Bangal on another operational mission. The ship immediately approached towards the boat factoring wind and sea conditions and located the boat in early hours of Tuesday,” the ICG stated.

The 19 fishermen, found exhausted with no ration onboard, were provided with first aid, food and water by ICGS Varad.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has been requested under the existing memorandum of understanding with the ICG to make necessary arrangements to take over of the stranded fishing boat along with the crew at the pre-designated location in vicinity of International Maritime Boundary Line.

The stranded boat is being towed by the ICGS to hand it over to the Bangladesh authorities.