The Bangladesh Navy has rescued 15 fishermen whose trawler suffered engine failure, stranding them in the ocean. The rescue occurred after a call to the 999 emergency service number.

Police Inspector Anwar Sattar, assigned to 999, said a trawler named ‘Ma-Moni’ took to sea from the Gahira Coast in Chattogram’s Anwara on Jan 3.

The vessel carried 15 fishermen. On Jan 4, the boat’s engine shaft broke, stranding them in the ocean. For 10 days, there was no news of the vessel.

On Jan 14, a fishing trawler from Myanmar spotted the crippled vessel and towed it to the Myanmar-Bangladesh maritime border.

One of the sailors then called the boat’s owner, informing him the fishermen were in the custody of the Myanmar Navy.

Boat owner Obaidul Haque then called the National Emergency Service 999 from Anwara, requesting emergency assistance over the matter.

Based on the report, 999 call-taker Constable Nobel Das informed the Coast Guard Control Room and the St Martin’s Island Coast Guard to take immediate rescue measures.

A rescue team from the coast guard then went to the Myanmar-Bangladesh maritime border and rescued the crippled boat and the fishermen on board, taking them from the custody of the Myanmar Navy.

The fishermen were then brought to St Martin’s Island.