Nine bodies were recovered from a fishing trawler that had been missing off the coast of West Bengal for nearly ten days. The vessel, named Joy Maa Kali, originally set sail from Shankarpur in the Purba Medinipur district and was located in the Sundarbans region of South 24 Parganas on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
According to reports, approximately 15 individuals were aboard the trawler, with six still unaccounted for. Joy Krishna Haldar, the general secretary of the United Fishermen Association of West Bengal, stated that the fishermen departed the coast on July 2 without further communication. Contact was re-established on July 8, when they issued a distress call, reporting engine failure and requesting assistance. Despite efforts by other fishermen to locate them, it took time before they were eventually found in the distant Bakkhali area.
Sources mentioned that the fishermen hailed from various regions, including Digha, Nadia, Howrah, East Medinipur in West Bengal, and Odisha. The sea conditions had been turbulent due to inclement weather and heavy rainfall over the preceding fortnight.
Search operations involved multiple agencies, including the Coast Guard, the Indian Navy, and local police forces. The nine recovered bodies, which were found decomposed, have been sent to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow on social media, stating, “The boat capsizing incident in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, resulting in the loss of lives, is extremely heartbreaking. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured.” He also announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for each family affected by this tragedy, to be disbursed from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
Superintendent of Police for the Sundarban Police District, Biswa Chand Thakur, confirmed, “Prima facie, the trawler was carrying 15 fishermen. It capsized about a week ago, and today nine bodies have been recovered, with the remainder still missing. Rescue operations are ongoing.”
To provide on-ground support, Dipankar Jana, the Minister for Sundarbans Affairs, visited the area on Sunday to oversee the rescue efforts. He assured that the state government would assist the families of the deceased fishermen with financial help and support during this difficult time.
