Sitrang: Indian Coast Guard Rescues 20 Bangladeshi Fishermen Stranded at Sea

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen near the Bangladesh-India international maritime border line after their fishing boat capsized when cyclone Sitrang made landfall.

They were caught in the cyclone which destroyed their boats. The fishermen clung to floats and debris from their sunken boats.

Although Sitrang spared India's West Bengal, Bangladesh was not so lucky. At least 29 people died as the cyclone made landfall in the southern part of the country Monday.

After that, ICG looked for any vessels stranded at sea and spotted around 20 people in the water, about 90 nautical miles (166km) from Sagar Island in West Bengal, Tuesday.

"In a swift co-ordinated search and rescue operation, India Coast Guard has rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen post-landfall of cyclone Sitrang," ICG tweeted Wednesday.

The fishermen will be handed over to Bangladesh in accordance with the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Dhaka and Delhi, it added.