KARACHI: Bodies of four of the 14 missing fishermen, thought to have drowned after their boat capsized on March 5, were found in the sea by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) on Sunday.

“After strenuous and continuous search of more than 100 hours by PMSA units at sea in coordination with Pakistan Navy, today PMSA Ship Rehmat recovered four bodies near Hajambaro Creek,” said a statement issued by the PMSA.

It said that the bodies had been handed over to authorities concerned through Edhi ambulances for their subsequent identification. “Search of remaining bodies is in progress in coordination with PN and local fishing communities,” it added.

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Forty-five fishermen belonging to Ibrahim Hyderi had gone fishing on their boat — Al Asad — on March 4. Their boat capsized at Hajambaro Creek near Keti Bandar on March 5 at around 3am due to some technical reason coupled with bad weather. As many as 31 of them were rescued and when authorities came to know about 14 missing fishermen they launched a massive search operation.

In view of ‘apprehensions’ that tidal waves might have taken bodies of the missing fishermen to the territorial waters of India, a Pakistan Peoples Party MNA had approached Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and urged them to contact Indian authorities to trace the missing fishermen.

A spokesperson for the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum had told Dawn that although a search operation was under way but “by now we know in our hearts that they would not have survived”.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2024