13 migrants rescued from sea

COX'S BAZAR, May 18 (UNB): Members of the Coast Guard and the Border Guard Bangladesh in their separate drives in the district Sunday rescued 13 people who were reportedly thrown into the sea from Malaysia-bound ships and salvaged by Myanmar fishermen earlier.

In-charge of the Coast Guard's St Martin Station Lt Diction Chowdhury said that a team of the coast guards rescued seven people from a fishing boat near the St Martin's Island.

The boat was operated by fishermen from Myanmar who reportedly rescued the seven Bangladeshi nationals afloat on the sea somewhere near the Myanmar coastline.

According to the victims, they were travelling to Malaysia boarding a 'big ship' from inside Myanmar territory one month ago. They were taken to Myanmar from Bangladesh on small boats earlier.

As the Malaysian authorities did not let the ship to anchor on their harbour, it returned near to the Myanmar harbour and threw the victims into the sea from where they were rescued by some fishermen of Myanmar, said Lt Chowdhury quoting the victims.

Meanwhile, BGB battalion 42 commanding officer Abu Jar Al Zahid said that a team of the border guard rescued six more victims from Shah Porir Dwip around 11pm Sunday, acting on information that they arrived at the place on a cargo from Myanmar after a similar rescue conducted by fishermen of that country.

The identities of the rescued could not be known immediately.

Lt Col Zahid said the victims were rescued by fishing boats from the sea territory of Myanmar and taken to some village in Akiab region of that country.

Later, the victims were sent to Teknaf by a cargo vessel, he added.