Nine fishermen dead as sunken trawler FB Maa Kali recovered off Sundarbans
Synopsis
Fifteen fishermen left Shankarpur Fisheries Port on 2 July. Twelve days later, nine of them were found dead inside their overturned trawler in the Sundarbans — and six are still missing. With adverse weather cited as the trigger and the Bay of Bengal's tidal channels still being combed, the final toll remains unknown.
Key Takeaways
Trawler FB Maa Kali with 15 fishermen departed Shankarpur Fisheries Port , East Midnapore, on 2 July .
Communication was reportedly lost after 5 July due to adverse weather conditions.
The sunken vessel was recovered from the Raktachar area near Chulkathi forest , approximately 35 km off the Bakkhali coast, on Sunday.
Nine bodies were found inside the trawler; remains sent to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital for postmortem.
Six fishermen remain missing; a fresh joint search operation was launched on Monday, 13 July .
Minister of State Dipankar Jana visited the site and confirmed the state government has been informed.
Nine fishermen were found dead after the missing trawler FB Maa Kali was recovered from the Bay of Bengal near the Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, officials confirmed on Monday, 13 July. Six others who were aboard the vessel when it set sail remain untraced, and authorities have warned the death toll could 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 found overturned approximately 35 km off the Bakkhali coast before being towed to Sitarampur Ghat on Sunday evening. A subsequent search of the vessel yielded the bodies of nine fishermen inside. The recovered remains have been sent to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital for postmortem examination.
Timeline of the Tragedy
The FB Maa Kali had departed from Shankarpur Fisheries Port in East Midnapore district on 2 July carrying 15 fishermen. Contact with the vessel was reportedly lost after 5 July, following adverse weather conditions in the region. A joint search operation involving the police, Coast Guard, Forest Department, and fishermen's organisations had been underway since then, coordinated by Chitrak Bhattacharya, deputy field director of the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve.
Search for Six Missing Fishermen
Despite the recovery of the trawler, six fishermen remain unaccounted for. A fresh joint search operation was launched on Monday to locate them. Officials have not ruled out a further rise in the death toll. The Sundarbans region's dense mangrove waterways and unpredictable tidal conditions make search operations particularly challenging, and this is not the first time the area has claimed fishing vessels caught in sudden weather shifts.
Government Response
Dipankar Jana, Minister of State for Sundarban Affairs, visited the trawler after it was brought ashore at Sitarampur under the jurisdiction of Gobardhanpur police station. Jana said the state government had been briefed on the incident and that discussions were ongoing regarding further administrative action. He reviewed the ongoing search operation on-site.
What Happens Next
Authorities are continuing the multi-agency search for the six missing fishermen. The postmortem results are expected to shed light on the exact cause and timing of the deaths. The incident has renewed calls from fishing communities for better early-warning systems and communication infrastructure for vessels operating in the ecologically sensitive and weather-volatile Sundarbans corridor.
Point of View
While eventually effective in locating the trawler, took over a week after contact was lost. With six fishermen still unaccounted for, the question of whether faster intervention could have saved lives deserves a frank official answer.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the fishing trawler FB Maa Kali?
The FB Maa Kali, carrying 15 fishermen, went missing after departing Shankarpur Fisheries Port on 2 July. Contact was reportedly lost after 5 July due to bad weather. The sunken trawler was recovered on Sunday near the Chulkathi forest in the Sundarbans, with nine bodies found inside.
How many fishermen are still missing after the Sundarbans trawler incident?
Six fishermen who were aboard the FB Maa Kali remain untraced as of Monday, 13 July. A fresh joint search operation involving the police, Coast Guard, and Forest Department was launched to locate them.
Where exactly was the trawler found?
The FB Maa Kali was found overturned in the Raktachar area near the Chulkathi forest, approximately 35 km off the Bakkhali coast in South 24 Parganas district. It was subsequently towed to Sitarampur Ghat on Sunday evening.
Who is leading the search operation in the Sundarbans?
The search operation has been coordinated by Chitrak Bhattacharya, deputy field director of the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, with joint participation from the West Bengal Police, Indian Coast Guard, Forest Department, and fishermen's organisations.
What action has the West Bengal government taken?
Minister of State for Sundarban Affairs Dipankar Jana visited the recovered trawler and reviewed the search operation. He confirmed that the state government has been informed and that discussions are underway regarding further administrative action.
