Andhra fishermen rescued off West Bengal after 3 weeks adrift
Seven fishermen from Andhra Pradesh who went missing for over three weeks have finally been rescued off the West Bengal coast.
Their boat broke down just a day into their trip, leaving them stranded and drifting in the Bay of Bengal.
After surviving on minimal food and battling rough conditions, they were spotted by another fishing vessel and brought safely to shore, where they're now recovering.
Clutch and gearbox failures spark search
The trouble started when the boat developed a clutch-plate problem on August 4 and later the engine gearbox failed, forcing them to ration supplies, sometimes eating just once every two days.
A massive search was launched by the Andhra Pradesh government, Navy, and Coast Guard.
Even Prime Minister Modi checked in with the group after their rescue, speaking to them about their safety and health and assuring them that all necessary arrangements would be made at Shankarpur jetty.