Kolkata, Jun 18: The Coastguard today found 27 of the 33 missing trawlers that went missing in the Bay of Bengal since Thursday night during heavy rains.
The fishing vessels were found from Kendo creek from near the Bangladesh waters after radio communication with them was restored, South 24 Parganas District Magistrate Narayan Swarup Nigam said.
The Coastguard, which deployed a hovercraft, rescued 432 fishermen some of whom had fallen ill, he said.
The weather also improved with the rains almost stopping. Caught in heavy rain and gusty winds, most of the trawlers were blown off course towards Bangladesh territorial waters, Nigam said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had yesterday said that the Bangladesh government had been urged to coordinate in the rescue operations.
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting C M Jatua and Sunderbans Development Minister Shyamal Mondal were camping at Kakdwip to monitor operations.
Caught in heavy rain and gusty wind during depression, most of these trawlers drifted towards Bangladesh waters when coastguard vessels rescued these, the DM said.
Nigam said that six trawlers were yet to be traced. Hovercraft of the coastguard had been deployed in the rescue operation. PTI
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