90 fishermen missing in Bay of Bengal

Midnapore, Aug 17 (UNI) About 90 fishermen, who ventured out to the sea off the coast of Bay of Bengal in nine trawlers braving an inclement weather, have not established contact with the coast guards raising fears they might be missing.

Talking to UNI, Midnapore District Magistrate Anup Agarwal said, ''Despite repeated forecasts from the Met office of a heavy depression and an inclement weather, some 75 trawlers yesterday went out into the sea from two ports---Digha Mohana and Shankarpur.'' ''While last night contact with most of them could not be established, today 66 trawlers have either established contact with the radio office or have returned to the ports. Only nine trawlers have not established contact or returned,'' he said.

The Coast Guards have started the rescue operation since last night daring an inclement weather and are still on the job.

Of the nine missing, seven trawlers had left the Digha port and two the Shankarpur port.

However, the sources are hopeful of their return despite rough sea. A depression has formed near Balasore in Bay of Bengal off the Orissa Coast because of which the sea has been turbulent over the past two days.

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