2 Pakistani fishermen drown, 10 missing after boats sink

Three fishing boats sank off Pakistan's coast in stormy weather, drowning at least two fishermen and causing 10 others to go missing, as navy and maritime security vessels rescued 32 fishermen, a district official said Sunday.

Karachi: Three fishing boats sank off Pakistan's coast in stormy weather, drowning at least two fishermen and causing 10 others to go missing, as navy and maritime security vessels rescued 32 fishermen, a district official said Sunday.

The boats sank Saturday in the Arabian Sea near the coastal town of Keti Bunder. A search-and-rescue operation was begun with the help of navy and maritime security boats, said Ghazanfar Qadri, deputy commissioner of Thatta district.

He said the fishing boats were out to sea when the weather forced them to return but three boats carrying 44 crew members sank in high winds and rough waters.

Rescue teams were sent to bring back some of the fishermen who took shelter on small islands but two of them drowned attempting to swim to the coast, Qadri said. He said the search-and-rescue operation will continue until all the missing fishermen are located.

Pakistani fishing boats are typically not well equipped with modern navigation gear and safety equipment. Many fishermen ignore weather warnings and take other risks to land a good catch.

(AP)