Bangladeshi fishing boat stranded on Srikakulam coast, 13 rescued

Panic spread along the Srikakulam coast on Sunday when a suspicious fishing boat was spotted near Moosavani Peta in Etcherla mandal. Local fishermen approached the vessel and discovered that it belonged to Bhola, Bangladesh, carrying 13 fishermen on board.

According to the fishermen, the boat had suffered mechanical failure after sudden adverse weather in the Bay of Bengal. They had run out of fuel and food and were stranded in the middle of the sea. Strong waves had pushed the boat across the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha before it finally reached Moosapeta.

Noticing that the drifting boat was not local, the villagers immediately alerted the marine police. Kalingapatnam Marine CI B. Prasad Rao and Etcherla SI G. Lakshman Rao dispatched three boats and safely brought all 13 fishermen ashore.

Although communication was initially difficult due to the language barrier, local fishermen who knew Bangla helped collect the crew’s details. After reaching shore, villagers lit bonfires and provided the exhausted men with biscuits and a full meal.

The fishermen were later taken to the Kalingapatnam Marine Station. Authorities said a case will be registered against them under Sections 81 and 82 of the Indian Maritime Act for entering Indian waters without permission.

This is not the first such incident in the area - another Bangladeshi boat had reached the same coast in 2008. Quick action by local residents and the marine police ensured that all 13 fishermen survived the ordeal safely.