Two of missing Bengal fishermen feared dead

Kolkata, Aug 11 (IANS) At least two of the 60 odd fishermen who went missing in the Bay of Bengal after their trawlers were caught in a storm are feared dead, a West Bengal minister said on Thursday.

Minister of Fisheries Chandranath Sinha said: "While all the trawlers that had gone missing have been rescued and most of the fishermen have returned, of the five still missing at least two are feared dead."

It is being feared that the two fishermen, identified as Badal Das (48) and Bibekananda Sarkar (38), must have fallen off their boats.

At least eight trawlers had left from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district, and were reported missing on Tuesday following which the Coast Guard had launched a massive search and rescue operation.