Sri Lankan Father and Son Rescued After Drifting for a Month on Raw Fish
A Sri Lankan father and son, identified as S.H. Chaminda, 51, and his son Sounda Hannadigipiyawating, 30, were rescued after drifting in the Bay of Bengal for approximately one month. The two fishermen from Devinuwara, Sri Lanka, survived by eating raw fish caught at sea and using fishing bait when their stored food ran out. They were found near the Maheshkhali coast in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Following a court order, they were moved to a safe home under the Department of Social Services on Monday and are scheduled to be transported to Dhaka on Tuesday morning. Police officials, including Maheshkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdus Sultan, confirmed that Bangladeshi authorities, including the Sri Lankan Embassy, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were contacted regarding the two fishermen. The court directed that they remain in the safe home until their repatriation. The rescued father and son had set out on their fishing trip 36 days prior, but their boat's engine failed, causing them to drift. They reported that approximately seven to eight days after their journey began, some individuals boarded their boat and stole valuables, including binoculars and cameras. The rescued father and son were initially housed at the residence of Ziaur Rahman, the owner of the rescuing trawler, before being taken into police custody on Saturday night. Efforts to repatriate their small trawler to Sri Lanka are not feasible due to the distance and rough seas, and the court has ordered it to be handed over to Ziaur Rahman, who risked his safety to tow it to the coast.
This incident highlights the precariousness of maritime livelihoods and the critical role of international cooperation in humanitarian rescues. The survival of the father and son for nearly a month on raw fish underscores extreme resilience but also points to potential systemic failures in maritime safety and distress signaling for small fishing vessels. The logistical challenges in their eventual repatriation and the disposition of their vessel illustrate the complex cross-border legal and practical hurdles that can arise from such incidents. Future considerations might include enhanced regional search and rescue protocols and improved communication channels for distressed vessels, particularly those operating in international waters, to mitigate such prolonged periods of peril and ensure more efficient and dignified outcomes for mariners.
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