17 fishermen missing as ten trawlers capsize in Meghna

At least 17 fishermen are missing as ten trawlers capsized in the Meghna River near Hatia upazila in Noakhali last night due to adverse weather conditions.
The trawlers sank between yesterday afternoon and 8:00pm in the Meghna River near Nijhum Dwip, Jahajmara union, and the Suryamukhi canal areas of Hatia.
Milton Chakma, assistant commissioner (land) and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Hatia, confirmed the incident to The Daily Star this morning.
Fishermen on nearby trawlers and boats managed to rescue 120 people alive, but 17 fishermen are still missing along with five of the trawlers, he said.
The coast guard members of Hatia station are actively searching for the missing, but rescue operations are being hampered by the rough weather conditions, which has made the river turbulent.
The owners of the sunken trawlers are Babar Majhi, Jan Mia, Delwar Majhi, Helal Uddin, Shahid Majhi, Mehraj Majhi, and Yunus Majhi.
According to locals, it is currently peak season for hilsa fishing. As the sea became rough, the trawlers began returning to shore last afternoon. While navigating back, 10 trawlers lost control due to strong winds and sank at different times in the Meghna estuary.
One of the fishermen, Delwar Majhi, survived serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
Lieutenant Commander HM Harunur Rashid, media officer of the Hatia Coast Guard Station (South Zone), told The Daily Star that no fisherman or trawler owner had reported the incident to them.
We dispatched a rescue team after learning about the accident from local authorities and the upazila administration.
However, the Meghna river is so turbulent that coast guard personnel have been unable to reach the affected areas, he added.