Teknaf: An estimated 25 people are missing after a Malaysia-bound trawler capsized in the Bay of Bengal in the early morning on Wednesday, local officials and residents report.


The trawler was carrying over 130 passengers when it departed from the coastal area of Cox's Bazar, a southern border town in Bangladesh.

"The trawler capsized near St. Martin Island near Burmese waters in the early morning of Wednesday. Some of them were rescued by local fishing boats but some were swimming to shore. Most of the passengers are still missing," a resident from St. Martin Island said.

The trawler sunk after running for 30 minutes, and reportedly capsized because the trawler did not have the capacity to carry so many people.

"I heard about 25 passengers are still missing and local fishing boats are looking for them to rescue. Most people are safe at the present in the rescue of local people and they swam ashore as well," he added.

According to local sources, some bodies of passengers have been found in the water nearby St. Martin Island.

Among the passengers are some from Burma. They were traveling to Malaysia to look for work after paying 20,000 to 30,000 Taka to brokers to take them to Malaysia by sea.

This is the second boat to capsize in the Bay of Bengal recently. On 22 November, another trawler capsized in Burmese waters near Bangladesh, and over 60 people are feared dead.

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