Bhubaneswar: Sixteen fishermen, including three brothers from Odisha’s Baleshwar district, who went missing at sea for nearly a week, have been traced and are safe.
According to reports, the fishermen set sail from Shankarpur beach on July 2 aboard the trawler ‘Maa Kali’ for a deep-sea fishing expedition primarily for Hilsa (Ilisi) fish. They lost contact with their families since they left the shore.
Among the 16 fishermen, three hail from Uluda village under Bhograi block in Baleshwar district. They have been identified as Rabindra Majhi, Jayaram Majhi, and Jagannath Majhi. The remaining 12 fishermen are from West Bengal. The three Odia brothers had spoken to their family once after departing, and the trawler owner had contacted them on Sunday, after which all communication was lost, causing immense worry among the families.
According to information received from the Shankarpur Trawler Association, the trawler has been located around two kilometres off Kakdwip in West Bengal. The Association has already dispatched another trawler to bring the fishermen back safely.
The development has brought relief to the families of the missing fishermen, especially in Bhograi area of Baleshwar.
