KARACHI, Sept 12: The search for the bodies of drowned fishermen of Al-Rahman fishing trawler was called off on Wednesday after the volunteers found two more bodies from the sea, bringing the total death toll to 18 people.

The boat, carrying around 37 fishermen, had capsized after being hit by a huge wave off Ibrahim Hyderi at around 9pm on Sunday. Eighteen fishermen were rescued soon after by another passing boat and out of them three later died in at the hospital.

Of the remaining, 18 bodies were recovered by the volunteers involved in the search and recovery operation later, while one body remains at sea.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum’s media coordinator, Sami Memon, told Dawn that the all efforts of volunteers have been exhausted in the search for drowned fishermen. “They were able to find two more bodies on Wednesday,” he said. “Only the body of Mohammad Yusuf, the boat-guard who also worked as a fisherman, hasn’t been found.”

Yusuf’s brother, Faisal, a tailor master, has been waiting for news at the Jamote Jetty in Ibrahim Hyderi since Sunday night, when he first heard about the unfortunate accident.

“Who will find my son now? I think only God can help us,” said his mother, while speaking to Dawn on Wednesday. Earlier, Faisal had said on Tuesday that though he knew that there were no chances for Yusuf’s survival but they wanted his body to be found so they could at least give him a proper burial.

Al-Rahman’s captain also said, “All human efforts to recover Yusuf have failed. Now it is up to the sea to give him up and bring him to the surface.”