Bhubaneswar: As many as fifteen fishermen who ventured into the Bay of Bengal from the Shankarpur Fish Landing Centre in West Bengal have gone missing. Among the missing are three brothers from Bhogarai block in Odisha's Balasore district.

The missing brothers have been identified as Rabindra Majhi, Jagannath Majhi and Jayaram Majhi, sons of Madhusudan Majhi of Uluda village.

According to Swadesh Ranjan Nayak, secretary of the Shankarpur Fishermen Association and a former MLA, the fishermen from Odisha and West Bengal had left for the Bay of Bengal on July 2 aboard a fishing trawler to catch hilsa fish.

The trawler owner and family members remained in contact with the fishermen until July 4. However, all communication was lost after that, and there has been no contact with the trawler since then.

Although the trawler is equipped with a GPS system, its location has not been traced.

The India Meteorological Department had issued warnings about heavy rain and stormy weather over the Bay of Bengal due to a low-pressure system. Fishermen operating in the deep sea were advised through satellite phones to return to the shore. It is not yet clear whether the crew aboard the trawler received the warning.

Family members of the missing fishermen have appealed to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to intervene and ensure immediate rescue efforts.