The Burmese navy has rescued over 400 fishermen swept into the sea off the Irrawaddy coast last week by a storm in the Bay of Bengal.
Some had been forced to cling to damaged boats and debris for three days adrift at sea before their rescue.
“The storm brought heavy rain and wind to the coast and sent fishing rafts adrift into the sea. The Navy launched a rescue mission on 6 November,” said Chun Hre, an official from Burma’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.
The Ministry had assisted the Navy in rescue efforts, which dragged 252 fishermen out of the bay on the 8th of November, and a further 175 the following day.
“In total, 427 fishermen were rescued,” Chun Hre confirmed.
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He said the rescued fishermen are primarily from from Irrawaddy, Rangoon and Pegu Divisions and were provided with relief items by the ministry as they were sent home.
On Monday, the Burmese navy was continuing its search for an unknown number of fishermen still missing at sea.
