Bay of Bengal Tragedy: Nine Fishermen Found Dead, Six Yet to Be Traced

At least nine fishermen were found dead after a fishing trawler sank in the Bay of Bengal off the South 24 Parganas coast of West Bengal , while six others remain missing , prompting an intensive search operation by the Indian Coast Guard , police and local fishermen.

The trawler, 'Joy Ma Kali' , had departed Shankarpur fishing harbour in Purba Medinipur district on July 2 with 15 fishermen on board for a fishing expedition. Contact with the vessel was lost after July 6 , leading to a large-scale search.

After an eight-day rescue operation , authorities located the submerged trawler near Bagher Char , around 35 km off the Bakkhali coast , on Saturday. The vessel was towed to the Sitarampur coast on Sunday by several fishing trawlers, following which rescue personnel recovered the bodies from inside the vessel.

Officials said the bodies were severely decomposed , making identification difficult. DNA tests will be conducted to establish the identities of the deceased, including whether some victims were from neighbouring Odisha . The bodies have been sent to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Authorities said the search for the six missing fishermen is continuing. Preliminary findings indicate the trawler may have capsized due to rough weather in the Bay of Bengal, although the exact cause will be determined through an official inquiry.

Among those still missing are three brothers from Odisha's Balasore district Rabindra Majhi (52), Jayaram Majhi (49) and Jagannath Majhi (45) who had travelled to West Bengal for fishing work.

Expressing grief over the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased. The injured will receive ₹50,000 in financial assistance. The district administration said it is extending all possible support to the affected families as rescue efforts continue.