Bodies of four fishermen found

Their families stage protest at jetty over delay in search operation

KARACHI:

The families of the missing fishermen aboard the launch Al Asad Ali, missing in the sea near Hijamaru Creek staged a protest. The families of fishermen missing in the sea for six days staged a protest.

According to Spokesman Coastal Media Centre Ibrahim Hydari Kamal Shah, the fishermen families protested in Ibrahim Hydari due to delay in the search of their loved ones and lack of information. He said that each day the families of the missing fishermen wait at the jetty with the hope of that they would come back.

According to Kamal Shah, fishermen families are complaining that more than a dozen fishermen are still missing, but proper measures are not being taken at the government level to search for them.

Fishermen’s children, wives and other relatives participated in large numbers in the protest. It should be noted that the dead bodies of three fishermen were claimed to be found yesterday, but surprisingly, these dead bodies could not be transferred to Keti Bandar port in Thatta till now.

Read At least 14 fishermen missing after boat capsizes near Thatta

Meanwhile, late in the evening, the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) has recovered 4 bodies of fishermen who drowned in the sea.  According to PMSA spokesperson, units of Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security continued to search the sea for more than 100 hours for recovery of missing fishermen drowned in sea.

Bodies of four fishermen were found in sea near Shikamaru Creek by Pakistan Maritime Security ship Rehmat. According to PMSA spokesperson, the tragic sinking of fishing boat Al Asad Ali (23377-B) occurred on March 5 near Hejamaru Creek possibly due to bad weather.

As many as 45 fishermen were rescued while drowning after their boat capsized near Hajamaro Creek on the night between March 4 and 5.  However, 14 crew members were reported missing at sea.  So far, bodies of three fishermen were fished out, and today four more were recovered.

According to Daily Express correspondent in Thatta, a Pakistan Navy officer, Naeem Ahmed said that the bodies were beyond recognition.  Naeem said the bodies prolonged exposure in sea has made it difficult to physically identify the bodies.