⚓ Maritime Tragedy: 5 Indian Fishermen Missing After Trawler Capsizes in ‘Hit-and-Run’ Collision
Surviving Crew Alleges Collision with Bangladesh Navy Ship; Dhaka Blasts Claims as ‘Fake News’ While Coast Guard Intensifies Search for Missing Men
Tragedy Strikes in the Foggy Waters of the Bay of Bengal
A routine fishing expedition turned into a nightmare for 16 fishermen from West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district. In the pre-dawn hours of Monday, December 15, 2025, the Indian fishing trawler FB Paramita-10 was reportedly struck by a massive unidentified vessel near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The impact was so severe that the trawler capsized almost immediately, throwing all crew members into the freezing, dark waters of the deep sea.
The survivors, who were rescued by a companion vessel named FB Raghupati, have made startling allegations. They claim that the ship involved in the collision was a Bangladesh Navy patrol vessel that was operating with its lights extinguished. According to the Sundarbans Marine Fishermen’s Union, the larger vessel “sped past” without offering any rescue assistance, leaving the fishermen to fight for their lives in zero-visibility conditions.
Dhaka Issues Official Denial: “Unfounded and Misleading”
The incident has quickly escalated into a diplomatic friction point. On Tuesday evening, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of Bangladesh released a formal statement categorically denying the allegations. The ISPR described reports of their Navy’s involvement as “false and baseless,” asserting that no Bangladesh Navy ship intruded into Indian waters.
According to the official Bangladeshi timeline, their patrol ships were conducting routine maneuvers over 12 nautical miles away from the location of the accident. Dhaka further emphasized that upon receiving a distress email from the Indian Coast Guard, the Bangladesh Navy immediately deployed its own assets to assist in the search for the missing men. They termed the media reports accusing them of a “hit-and-run” as deeply regrettable misinformation.
Intensive Search Underway for 5 Missing Fishermen
Despite the ongoing search and rescue efforts coordinated by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), five fishermen from Kakdwip and Namkhana remain missing. The ICG has deployed multiple ships and aircraft to scour the area near the maritime boundary. The 11 rescued survivors are currently being brought back to the shore, where they are expected to provide detailed testimonies to the coastal police.
This tragic event follows just days after a successful humanitarian exchange where 47 Indian and 38 Bangladeshi fishermen were repatriated. The current collision threatens to mar that diplomatic progress, as Indian fishing associations demand a high-level probe into the “unprofessional conduct” of the foreign vessel involved in the sinking of the FB Paramita.