Paradip: Babu Mirda immediately sprung into action on seeing fellow fishermen drowning in the Mahanadi near Paradip in Odisha on Friday.
While he brought 13 among them to shore, two others could not be saved and drowned in the river. The incident took place when a fishing boat named ‘Maa Kali’, carrying 15 fishermen, capsized in Nehrubangla estuary of Mahanadi. Babu was fishing in a hull boat at a short distance away from there.
According to sources, the boat sank due to high waves and strong currents, drowning the fishermen. The deceased have been identified as Guruchand Rai (44) and Bidubhushan Maiti (49) of Bijayachandrapur slum under Paradip Adarsh police station limits.
All rescued fishermen have been admitted to Atharbanki healthcare centre. Condition of two among them, Bhim Mandal and Nilakantha Vaidya, is stated to be critical, the sources added.
