Trawler with fishermen on board missing

Kolkata, Jul 3 (PTI) A trawler with around six fishermen on board went missing off the coast of West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, a state minister said.

Every effort is being made to trace the trawler, West Bengal Correctional Administration minister and Ramnagar MLA Akhil Giri told PTI.

Asked about the number of fishermen on board, Giri said “I don’t have the update about the exact number of fishermen on board the trawler. We have alerted neighbouring South 24 Parganas district administration as the vessel might drift towards Diamond Harbour, we have also informed the Coast Guard as the possibility of the trawler drifting towards Bangladesh cannot also be ruled out.”

An official of the Digha-Shankarpur Fishermen Association said the sea waters were choppy when the trawler set out for fishing from the Shankarpur-Ramnagar area of the district.

“We are hopeful about the safe return of the six fishermen,” he added.