NEW DELHI, Aug 24 (NNN-PTI) – Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel, rescued 32 Bangladeshi fishermen and handed them over to the Bangladeshi Coast Guard yesterday, an official statement by the Ministry of Defence said.
The ICG’s rescue operation was carried out in accordance with the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries’ coast guards.
The Bangladeshi side thanked the Indian Coast Guard for its humanitarian role, in saving the fishermen, whose boats capsized during cyclonic weather, a couple of days ago.
Most of the fishermen were found clinging onto nets or floats, in the turbulent sea and struggling to survive for almost 24 hours, when they were sighted by ICG ships and aircraft on Aug 20.
Out of the 32 Bangladeshi fishermen, 27 were rescued by the ICG in deep sea, and the remaining five were rescued by Indian fishermen, in shallow water areas, added the statement.– NNN-PTI
