PM Modi announces ₹2 lakh ex gratia for kin of 9 fishermen dead off Sundarbans
Synopsis
Nine fishermen were found dead inside the recovered trawler 'FB Maa Kali' in the Sundarbans — nearly two weeks after it went missing from Shankarpur Fisheries Port. With six still untraced and PM Modi announcing ₹2 lakh in relief, the tragedy highlights the life-and-death risks faced by Bengal's fishing communities in the Bay of Bengal's unpredictable waters.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi announced ₹2 lakh ex gratia from PMNRF for the next of kin of each of the 9 fishermen found dead on 13 July .
The injured are to receive ₹50,000 each from the same fund.
The trawler 'FB Maa Kali' left Shankarpur Fisheries Port , East Midnapore , on 2 July with 15 fishermen ; contact was lost after 5 July .
The sunken vessel was found in the Raktachar area near Chulkathi forest , approximately 35 km off the Bakkhali coast , and towed to Sitarampur Ghat .
Six fishermen remain untraced; a fresh joint search operation was launched on Monday .
Bodies have been sent to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital for post-mortem; authorities fear the death toll may rise.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 13 July announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of the nine fishermen found dead aboard a recovered trawler in the Bay of Bengal near the Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. The Prime Minister also announced ₹50,000 for the injured. Six fishermen from the same vessel remain untraced, and authorities fear the death toll may rise.
How the Trawler Was Found
Personnel from the West Bengal Police, the Forest Department, and the Indian Coast Guard located the sunken vessel in the Raktachar area near the Chulkathi forest on Sunday. The trawler was subsequently towed to the Sitarampur area under the jurisdiction of Gobardhanpur Police Station, where a search of the vessel yielded the bodies of nine fishermen inside.
The trawler, identified as 'FB Maa Kali', had departed from Shankarpur Fisheries Port in East Midnapore district on 2 July carrying 15 fishermen. Communication with the vessel was reportedly lost after 5 July following adverse weather conditions in the region.
Search Operation and Coordination
A joint search operation involving the police, the Coast Guard, the Forest Department, and fishermen's organisations had been underway since the vessel went missing, led by Chitrak Bhattacharya, Deputy Field Director of the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve. The trawler was found overturned approximately 35 km off the Bakkhali coast before being towed to Sitarampur Ghat on Sunday evening.
A fresh joint search operation was launched on Monday to locate the remaining six missing fishermen. The recovered bodies have been sent to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital for post-mortem examination.
What the Prime Minister Said
'The loss of lives due to the capsizing of a boat in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal is deeply painful. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000,' Prime Minister Modi said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
State Government Response
Dipankar Jana, Minister of State for Sundarban Affairs, visited the trawler after it was brought ashore and reviewed the ongoing search operation. He stated that the state government had been informed about the incident and that discussions were underway regarding further administrative action. This incident underscores the recurring danger faced by fishing communities operating in the ecologically complex and weather-volatile waters of the Sundarbans delta.
With six fishermen still missing, search efforts are expected to continue through the week as authorities race against time and tidal conditions in the dense mangrove waterways.
Point of View
With inadequate real-time weather communication systems and ageing vessel fleets. The fact that contact was lost on 5 July and the trawler was only located on 13 July — an eight-day gap — points to systemic gaps in maritime distress monitoring for small fishing vessels. Ex gratia payments are a necessary but insufficient response. The deeper question is whether state and central authorities will invest in mandatory transponder systems and weather-alert protocols for the thousands of trawlers that operate out of Bengal's coastline each season.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fishermen died in the Sundarbans trawler tragedy?
Nine fishermen were found dead inside the recovered trawler 'FB Maa Kali' in the Sundarbans on 13 July. Six others who were on board remain untraced, and authorities have warned the death toll could rise.
What ex gratia did PM Modi announce for the Sundarbans fishermen?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of the nine deceased fishermen. The injured are to receive ₹50,000 each.
When and where did the trawler 'FB Maa Kali' go missing?
The trawler left Shankarpur Fisheries Port in East Midnapore district on 2 July with 15 fishermen on board. Communication was reportedly lost after 5 July following adverse weather conditions in the Bay of Bengal near the Sundarbans.
Who conducted the search operation for the missing trawler?
A joint search operation was conducted by the West Bengal Police, the Indian Coast Guard, the Forest Department, and fishermen's organisations, coordinated under Chitrak Bhattacharya, Deputy Field Director of the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve.
Where was the trawler found and what happens next?
The trawler was found overturned near the Chulkathi forest, about 35 km off the Bakkhali coast in South 24 Parganas, and towed to Sitarampur Ghat on Sunday evening. A fresh search operation was launched Monday to locate the six remaining missing fishermen.
