Search on for missing Bengal fishermen

An operation to search for and rescue seven West Bengal fishermen who went missing after their boat capsized in the Bay of Bengal continued for the second day Tuesday, an official said.

The missing fishermen were aboard a fishing vessel "Suryanarayan" that capsized Sunday near Jambu Island in South 24 Parganas district after it was caught in a storm.

"Search operations are in full swing, we have pressed into service several vessels. We hope to locate the seven missing fishermen soon," Coast Guard Deputy Inspector General D R Sharma said.

At least 40 fishing trawlers had gone missing after getting caught in the storm in the Bay of Bengal. While most of them were traced, two of them "Maharudra" and "Suryanarayan" capsized.

"We are monitoring the search and rescue operation. All the trawlers that had gone missing have been traced. Most of them have either returned or taken shelter in Odisha's Dhamra port area," Sunderban Development Minister Manturam Pakhira said.