The trawler Joy Maa Kali after it was spotted on Sunday
Swadesh Ranjan Nayek, secretary of Shankarpur Fishermen’s Association, said the 15 fishermen included three from Digha, two from Nadia, one from Howrah and the rest from Ramnagar block in East Midnapore.
He said chief minister Suvendu Adhikari was informed about the tragedy and that discussions were on to expand the search. Satinath Patra, secretary of a local fishing organisation, said the crew were unfamiliar with the dangers lurking on the stretch of the sea where the accident occurred. The crew may not have been aware of the hidden hazard,” he said. Authorities said efforts to locate the six missing fishermen would continue until all possibilities were exhausted.
A low-flying Dornier surveillance aircraft operated by Coast Guard played a key role in locating the vessel. Police, forest department and local fishermen, too, joined the search operation. The trawler was towed to Sitarampur in Patharpratima, where rescue teams pumped out water from the vessel before recovering nine bodies from inside. Six fishermen are still missing. Officials, assisted by police personnel, forest department staff and local fishermen, thoroughly searched the trawler, inspecting every compartment and fishing net to ensure no one remained trapped inside. The bodies have been sent to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital for post-mortem. “The accident is believed to have occurred near Rakta Dwiper Char, a highly dangerous submerged sandbar responsible for several accidents.
Sundarban affairs minister Dipankar Jana visited Sitarampur on Sunday night to supervise the rescue operation.