2 Sri Lankan fishermen rescued off Cox's Bazar after ‘drifting at sea for 36 days’

Two Sri Lankan fishermen were rescued alive from the Bay of Bengal by a group of fishermen from Moheshkhali upazila in Cox's Bazar after reportedly drifting at sea for 36 days.

According to the rescuers, the two men were found at around 10:00pm on Thursday aboard a drifting fibreglass fishing boat near Sonarchar in the Bay of Bengal. They were taken aboard the Bangladeshi fishermen's boat and brought ashore in Moheshkhali.

Ziaur Rahman, the skipper who led the rescue, said the two men identified themselves as Sri Lankan nationals and claimed to be father and son. They told the rescuers they had gone missing while fishing and had been drifting at sea for the past 36 days.

According to Ziaur, the fishermen said they survived by catching and eating raw fish throughout the ordeal. Despite severe shortages of food and fresh water, they managed to stay alive until they were rescued.

However, several aspects of the incident are still being verified.

Moheshkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mojibur Rahman said the two rescued men are Sri Lankan nationals and are believed to be father and son.

They are SH Chaminda, 51, and Saunda Hannadigipoyatng, 30, of Rural Hospital Road in Devinuwara, Sri Lanka, he added.

He said authorities are verifying how they ended up adrift at sea, whether they had indeed spent 36 days in the Bay of Bengal, and other details of their identities.

Police also said the relevant authorities are preparing to contact the Sri Lankan authorities regarding the incident.

- The Daily Star