Two fishermen died and two others remain missing after a fishing trawler sank in the Sonadia channel in Moheshkhali early Thursday.

The dead were identified as Fayez Ahmed and Saiful Islam. Nurul Alam and Muhib Ullah remain missing. All four were from Moheshkhali upazila.

Local sources said the trawler, owned by Faridul Alam of Kutubjum, set out to sea with several fishermen on Tuesday night. It sank in the Sonadia channel on Thursday. Local fishermen later recovered two bodies during a search and took them home.

Moheshkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Abdus Sultan, citing local fishermen, said the trawler sank at night and local people recovered the two bodies at dawn. A police team was sent to the scene.

Search and rescue operations for the two missing fishermen are continuing with the help of local fishermen and law enforcement agencies.

Abdus Sultan said the bodies would be handed over to the relatives after legal procedures. Preliminary accounts suggest the trawler sank after being hit by strong winds and high waves.