Paradip: At least 24 fishermen were missing in the Bay of Bengal after a high-velocity storm lashed the coast, causing an Indian vessel to crash against a jetty at the port in Paradip on August 27 night, official sources said.

The fishermen had gone into the sea on a fishing expedition in four boats and their whereabouts are not known, tehsildar of Kujang Nrushingha, Charan Swain said.

Six of the fishermen, however, could reach the coast on August 28 morning, he said.

Weather office sources in Bhubaneswar said that the depression formed over the North West Bay off the West Bengal and North Orissa coast crossed the coast near Chandbali on August 28 morning and had weakened into a low pressure area.

Official reports said that six other mini fishing trawlers had hit the coast near Barunei, about six kms from Paradip on the other side of the Mahanadi River, while four large trawlers capsized inside the harbour.

The port city experienced 12 cm of rainfall during the day and the storm brought life to a standstill.

Port trust sources said an Indian vessel, M V Mursidabad, which had berthed to carry iron ore to China, snapped the rope with which it was tied to the jetty and crashed against a crane on an adjacent jetty.

While the crane was damaged, it tore a gaping hole in the ship's cabin.

Two other Indian ships berthed in the port also broke the ropes, but were not damaged as they were properly anchored, the sources said.

PTI