Police recover two bodies floating off Patenga coast

The authorities have yet to confirm if they are from the sunken fishing trawler

Two bodies have floated near Patenga two days after a fishing trawler capsized off the Chattogram coast in the Bay of Bengal, leaving eight fishermen missing.

River Police Sadarghat outpost chief Md Arif said on Saturday afternoon that the recovery of the bodies has begun, noting identities must be confirmed to determine if the bodies are from the sunken trawler.

He said locals saw one body floating near the Karnaphuli River’s 15th terminal close to Patenga in the afternoon. It was later recovered and brought ashore. Another body was reportedly spotted nearby later.

“Our team has gone there. The families of the missing fishermen have also been informed, and they are also going to the recovery site.”

Earlier, on Thursday afternoon, a fishing trawler named Anika sank in the Bay of Bengal near the Chattogram coast following a collision with a ship after leaving Karnaphuli River’s Fishery Ghat.

The trawler was carrying 19 fishermen. After the crash with another vessel, fishermen on a nearby trawler rescued 11 of them.

The owners of the sunken vessel informed the Coast Guard of the incident on Friday morning when the force began searching for the missing individuals at sea.

All the missing fishermen are from Noakhali.