No clue to 14 fishermen three days after boat capsized

Pakistan Navy, MSA engaged in search and rescue operation

KARACHI:

Despite three days of extensive search by the Maritime Security Agency (MSA) and the Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, there is still no sign of the 14 fishermen, who went missing after a fishing boat capsized in the Arabian Sea off the Thatta coast.

Coastal Media Centre spokesperson Kamal Shah said on Thursday that the boat, named Al Asad Ali, sank near Hijamara Creek because of strong winds three days ago. “The fishermen on board are still missing,” the spokesperson added.

Shah identified the missing fishermen as Riaz Bengali, Ahmed Bengali, Shakeel Bengali, Sajjad, Koki, Hashu, Riaz Ashraf, Noor Alam Bengali, Rahim Bengali, Sher Malah, Munir, Alam Kalam Bengali, Qayyum Behari, and Hasan Boro. “Two of them are siblings,” he added.

A Sea King helicopter of the Pakistan Navy and speedboats of the MSA were carrying out the search and rescue operations on Thursday, while another boat, named Al Abdullah, had been sent to Hijamara Creek to help in the operation.

Nasir Boniri, the security in-charge of the Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, stated that the families of the missing fishermen were worried for their loved ones. The families of the missing fishermen said no government officials visited them so far.

Talking to this correspondent in a dilapidated house in Ibrahim Hyderi, a fishing community on the edge of Karachi, the wife of a victim, Hashim, said that her husband was the sole breadwinner of the family, which included seven children. His elder brother said that Hashim had left for fishing four days ago.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed deep concern over the boat tragedy and urged the authorities concerned to utilise all available resources for the rescue of the missing fishermen.

“I pray for the safe return of the missing fishermen to their homes,” Bilawal stated, according to a press release issued by the Bilawal House Media Cell. Emphasising the need for modernising the rescue operations for fishermen, Bilawal reiterated the PPP’s commitment to the protection of the fishermen.