The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has rescued 27 Bangladeshi fishermen who were stranded on their fishing boat in the Indian waters. The fishermen were on board the Sagar II boat, which had a steering gear breakdown due to the weather for the last two days, a PIB press release stated.
The boat had been drifting inside the Indian waters since April 4, 2024, and the crew of 27 fishermen had been stranded. The Indian Coast Guard was notified of the incident by the Bangladesh Coast Guard and dispatched a boarding team to investigate. The team found that the rudder of the boat was damaged beyond repair.The decision was taken to tow the boat to the Indo-Bangladesh International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) and hand it over to another Bangladeshi fishing boat operating in the area. The Bangladesh Coast Guard Ship Kamaruzzaman was deployed to towing the boat. The ship arrived at the IMBL at about 1845 hrs on April 4, 2024. The 27 Bangladeshi fishermen and their boat were handed over to the BCG ship Kamaruzzaman by the Indian Coast Guard ship Amogh.
It demonstrates the strength of the regional SAR structure and enhances international cooperation with neighboring countries. The successful search and rescue operation will strengthen the regional SAR structure and enhance the international cooperation with neighboring countries.