A routine fishing expedition in the Bay of Bengal turned fatal when a sudden lightning strike hit a wooden trawler off the coast of Teknaf, killing one fisherman and injuring five others. The tragic incident occurred on Monday night at around 1:00 am near the Lambari coastal area under Teknaf Sadar Union in Cox’s Bazar district.
The deceased has been identified as 45-year-old Md. Hossain, a resident of North Lambari in Teknaf Sadar. Originally hailing from the coral island of Saint Martin, Hossain was the son of local resident Bashar and had been living with his family in North Lambari for several years.
The five surviving crew members who sustained injuries during the strike are Abul Kalam, 30, Abul Kashem, 24, Osman, 25, Shafi Alam, and Hamidul Haq. All five fishermen reside in the same coastal village of North Lambari and depend on artisanal maritime fishing for their livelihood.
According to Hamidul Haq, the skipper of the vessel, the group of six set sail from the North Lambari boat ghat on Monday afternoon to cast their nets in the deeper waters of the bay. After hours of navigating the sea, they cast their fishing nets around midnight and were waiting on board for the catch. The weather took a sudden, violent turn shortly before 1:00 am on Tuesday, accompanied by heavy cloud cover and intense lightning bolts over the water.
Without warning, a severe bolt struck the fishing vessel directly. The intense discharge critically injured Hossain, leaving him unconscious, while the shockwaves knocked down and injured the remaining five crew members. Despite their own injuries and the panic caused by the sudden calamity, the crew managed to maneuver the damaged craft back towards the shoreline.
Upon reaching the coast, local villagers and the vessel’s owner, Abdul Amin, rushed to assist the crew. Hossain was transported immediately to the emergency department of the Teknaf Upazila Health Complex. However, Dr Naushad Alam Kanan, the medical officer on duty, confirmed that Hossain had succumbed to his injuries prior to arrival at the facility.
Dr Kanan stated that preliminary examinations indicated fatal trauma from electrocution and blast impact caused by the lightning bolt. The body was subsequently retained for requisite legal formalities and post-mortem procedures.
Abdul Amin, the owner of the boat, confirmed that the surviving five fishermen received emergency primary treatment at the health complex. Since their physical injuries were deemed non-life-threatening, medical personnel discharged them shortly after treatment to recover at home. The incident has cast a profound gloom over the close-knit fishing community of Lambari, highlighting the constant hazards faced by local fishermen operating small crafts in treacherous sea weather.
