Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 6th July 2026, 10:48 PM
A coordinated search and rescue operation has been launched in the Bay of Bengal after a mechanical fishing trawler carrying eleven crew members capsized during a sudden seasonal storm. Six fishermen remain missing at sea following the midnight disaster, whilst five survivors were successfully pulled from the turbulent waters by a nearby vessel.
The maritime accident came to light on Monday afternoon when the rescued crew members managed to enter a mobile network zone in the deep ocean. They immediately phoned their families to relay the news, prompting relatives of the vessel’s owner to notify police authorities in the coastal Galachipa sub-district.
Local industry sources revealed that the commercial fishing trawler, owned by Md. Emadul Sikder of the Panpatti union within Galachipa upazila, departed for the deep sea last Thursday to harvest Hilsa. The voyage proceeded smoothly until Sunday night at approximately 10:00 pm, when violent gales and heavy swells caught the vessel entirely off guard.
The severe weather conditions destabilised the wooden hull, causing the vessel to roll over and capsize rapidly. Crew members on an adjacent fishing boat witnessed the capsizing and immediately steered through the high waves to assist. They managed to rescue five men from the water, but the remaining six crew members could not be found before the vessel sank beneath the surface.
The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Galachipa Police Station, Md. Imtiaz Ahmed, confirmed the details of the maritime accident. He explained that eleven individuals, including the boat owner himself, were on board when the storm hit. Whilst five fishermen positioned on the outer deck were thrown clear and rescued, the six missing men were trapped inside the main cabin when the vessel overturned, severely complicating early rescue attempts. The survivors remain on board the rescuing vessel at sea and are expected to take several hours to reach the mainland owing to persistent bad weather.
The local administration has mobilised emergency resources to track down the missing crew members. Officials have formally identified the missing fishermen as Md. Harun Howlader, Md. Emadul, Md. Forkan, Md. Sayem, Md. Al Amin, and Md. Akash, all residents of different villages across the Galachipa region, including South Panpatti, Ichadi, and Pokhia.
Galachipa Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Abujar Md. Ijazul Haque, stated that administrative teams have established direct communication with the survivors. The sub-district authority is currently working alongside the district administration and maritime agencies to coordinate an expanded search grid for the missing men. In tandem, the regional health department has been directed to prepare medical intervention and emergency treatment for the survivors the moment they are brought ashore.
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