Visakhapatnam , 2 Feb : Nine fishermen from Andhra Pradesh arrived in Visakhapatnam on Monday after being freed from detention in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Navy had apprehended them in October last year for unintentionally crossing maritime boundaries while fishing in the Bay of Bengal.
The Indian Coast Guard escorted the fishermen to the Visakhapatnam coastline and formally handed them over to the marine police.
Families welcomed their loved ones with tears after a four-month separation.
Both the fishermen and their relatives expressed gratitude to the Central and state governments for ensuring their safe return.
On January 29, the Bangladesh Coast Guard transferred custody of the fishermen to the Indian Coast Guard at the International Maritime Boundary Line.
Two Indian fishing vessels, carrying 15 crew members, sailed from Visakhapatnam to meet the returning fishermen at sea. They then brought the fishermen safely to Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour.
Bangladesh repatriated 23 Indian fishermen, including these nine from Andhra Pradesh, while the remaining 14 came from West Bengal.
Authorities returned two Indian-owned fishing boats along with them.
In a reciprocal arrangement, the Indian Coast Guard handed over 128 Bangladeshi fishermen and five fishing boats to Bangladesh.
The exchange occurred at the International Maritime Boundary Line in the Bay of Bengal.
The repatriated Bangladeshi group included 13 fishermen who had drifted into Indian waters near Andhra Pradesh after running out of fuel and food.
Officials provided them with new clothing under the direction of Visakhapatnam Collector MN Harindranath.
On November 30, the marine police in Srikakulam district had taken these fishermen into custody. They reached Musavanipeta in Etcherla mandal after their boat drifted towards the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha.
The fishermen reported they had been starving for 15 days until locals provided food and medicine.
AP Mechanised Fishing Boats Union President Janakiram Vasupalli thanked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for facilitating the safe return of the fishermen.
The smooth repatriation underscored effective coordination between India and Bangladesh in managing maritime personnel safely.
