Altogether 62 Bangladeshi fishermen, who had been rescued from the Bay of Bengal last week, were handed over to Bangladesh Coast Guard on Wednesday along with two of their fishing boats, a defence ministry spokesman said.
Four Bangladeshi fishing boats namely Allardan, Farhad, Nahim and Ma Ganga were found adrift in Indian waters following engine failure during the depression in North Bay of Bengal on August 17-18.
While Allardan and Farhad had been sighted 35 nautical miles South of Sagar Lighthouse, Nahim and Ma Ganga were found stranded inside the creek by Coast Guard surveillance aircraft on August 18.
The fishing boats had departed from Maipur and Cox Bazaar and were caught in the cyclonic winds that hit the Bay of Bengal.
Two fishing boats had been towed to Coast Guard Station at Frazerganj, where the marooned crew was provided with medical treatment, food and additional clothing during their stay.
Joint interrogation by Coast Guard, Marine Police and Special Investigation Branch had been carried out to confirm the authenticity of the fishermen on their arrival at the fishing port.
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While Allardan and Farhad were handed over during the day, the remaining two boats would be given back after repairs, the spokesperson said.
--IANS
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