Two Sri Lankan fishermen, a father and son, were rescued by Bangladeshi fishermen after drifting in the Bay of Bengal for 36 days aboard a disabled fishing boat.
The fishermen, identified as S.H. Chaminda (51) and his son Saunda Hannadigi (30) from Devinuwara, Sri Lanka, were found in a weak and exhausted condition by a fishing trawler owned by Ziaur Rahman of Kutubjum Union in Maheshkhali.
The rescuers towed the disabled boat to shore, where the two men received care before being taken into police custody for necessary formalities. Maheshkhali Police Station confirmed the rescue, while the damaged fishing boat remains moored at Taziakata Ghat.
According to local officials, the pair survived by catching and eating raw fish after their food supplies ran out six days into their ordeal. They also endured a severe shortage of drinking water after their boat's engine failed at sea.
Officials said four fishermen were originally on the vessel, but two returned to shore on another boat after the engine broke down. The father and son chose to remain with their fishing boat to protect their livelihood.
Following the rescue, Sri Lanka's Embassy in Bangladesh was informed and has begun the process of repatriating the two fishermen. Maheshkhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Imran Mahmud Dalim praised the Bangladeshi fishermen for their humanitarian effort, saying the rescued men have now recovered from their critical condition.
