A fisherman has returned alive to his family after drifting in the rough waters of the Bay of Bengal for three days, surviving by clinging to a small fishing buoy without food while watching the bodies of his colleagues float away.
Al Amin, a resident of Ichadi village in Patuakhali’s Galachipa upazila, was eventually rescued on Wednesday evening by local fishermen in the Dhalchar river area of Bhola.
The ordeal began on Sunday night when a sudden storm capsized a fishing trawler carrying 11 crew members southeast of the Payra Seaport. All 11 went missing in the deep sea. While five were rescued on Monday, Al Amin is the first to be found alive since then. He was reunited with his family in Patuakhali on Thursday evening.
The long exposure to the elements and the ingestion of seawater have left Al Amin severely ill. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Galachipa Upazila Health Complex under the supervision of the local administration, confirmed Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abuzar Md. Ijazul Haque.
Al Amin Hawlader, fishermanTwo days later, I saw the bodies of Forkan and Ebadul emerge from the cabin of the capsized trawler and drift away in the sea. I broke down in tears, but eventually held back my emotions and tried to survive.What happened after the trawler sank
Speaking to Prothom Alo from his hospital bed, Al Amin said the crew had cast their fishing nets when a powerful storm suddenly struck, overturning and sinking the trawler.
He said trawler owner Emadul Sikdar, Harun Mia, Akash, Rakib, Shakil, Nazmul, Bayezid and he himself were outside the cabin and managed to escape. However, his relative Forkan Hawlader, Forkan's son Sayem and Ebadul from the Panpatti area were inside the cabin and could not get out.
According to Al Amin, Emadul, Nazmul, Bayezid, Shakil and Rakib were separated from the group in the rough sea. He, Harun and Akash managed to stay afloat by holding onto part of the overturned trawler and a fishing buoy.
Two days later, he said, the bodies of Forkan and Ebadul emerged from the cabin of the capsized vessel and drifted away in the sea.
He added that he could not but cry after seeing them, but then he had to stop and focus on staying alive.
The lonely battle for survival
Al Amin said he later became separated from Harun and Akash in the powerful waves. Alone, he held a small fishing buoy beneath his body and continued drifting.
Weak from hunger and thirst, he said he nearly lost consciousness before eventually reaching the Dhalchar river area in Bhola on Wednesday evening, where local fisherman Dulal Majhi and his colleagues rescued him.
He was first taken to Char Fasson in Bhola before being sent back to his family.
Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Md Jahirun Nabi said Emadul, Nazmul, Shakil, Bayezid and Rakib had been rescued on Monday, while Al Amin was recovered on Wednesday. He remains under medical care because of his condition.
Five fishermen remain missing; Harun, Akash, Forkan, Sayem and Ebadul. Al Amin said he saw the bodies of Forkan and Ebadul floating away after the accident.
UNO Abuzar Md Ejajul Haque said financial assistance and food had been provided to the families of both the rescued and missing fishermen. He added that the district and upazila administrations had sought assistance from the Coast Guard and the Navy in the search operation, while local fishermen had also been requested to help locate the missing crew.
