Navy rescues 76 from sinking vessel in Bay of Bengal, detains 11 traffickers
Bangladesh Navy rescues 76 people from a sinking vessel in the Bay of Bengal while detaining 11 suspected traffickers off the coast of Saint Martin Island
The Bangladesh Navy successfully rescued 76 individuals from a sinking watercraft in the territorial waters of the Bay of Bangladesh on Thursday night (October 31), averting a maritime disaster during an illegal migration attempt toward Malaysia. The operation, which also led to the detention of 11 suspected human traffickers, unfolded approximately 81 kilometers west of the lighthouse on Saint Martin's Island in Teknaf Upazila of Cox's Bazar district.
According to official accounts from the Bangladesh Navy, the distressed wooden vessel was carrying a total of 76 people when it encountered severe peril in the deep sea. Preliminary findings revealed that 65 of the passengers were victims of a trafficking ring, having been lured by false promises of lucrative employment or abducted and confined to remote areas of Teknaf. The perpetrators subsequently forced these victims onto the vulnerable boat with the ultimate intention of smuggling them to Malaysia via the coastal routes of Myanmar and Thailand.
The perilous situation escalated when the vessel's engine malfunctioned in the open sea, leaving it drifting helplessly before water began flooding the hull, causing it to submerge. Upon receiving urgent information relayed by local fishermen, the naval warship BNS Khalid Bin Walid swiftly mobilized to the coordinates and executed the rescue operation, pulling all 76 passengers safely from the sinking craft.
Following the rescue, naval personnel administered emergency medical treatment to the survivors and provided immediate sustenance and humanitarian aid. Subsequent screening and verification processes enabled authorities to identify and apprehend the 11 suspected traffickers embedded among those on board.
The Navy successfully pumped water out of the compromised vessel and seized it as evidence. Preparations are currently underway to transfer the 11 detained traffickers alongside the seized watercraft to Teknaf Police Station for the initiation of formal legal proceedings.
