According to Jakhau port officials, the fishermen were in the Arabian Sea when the cyclone trapped them. "Our country boat could not resist the strong waves and the kind of winds which we have never faced in our lives. Our boat was torn to pieces by 10-metre high waves," one of the fishermen told the port officials.

With their boat in shreds, they clung to pieces of wood and drifted towards a nearby island. "We reached there on May 17 without any food or water and waited in vain for some help, but even after four days there was no sign of help. And due to cyclone and warnings, there were no ships," said Arvind Tandel, one of the survivors.

When death seemed to stare at them inthe face, these fishermen - Arvind Tandel, Pravin Rathod, Haribhai Rathod, Budhalal Rathod, Haribhai Tandel and Umarshi Tandel - decided to swim in the direction where they thought the Jakhau Port was instead of starving to death. "There were chances of being picked up in mid-sea either by some boat or ship."

So on the night of May 21 they started swimming, clutching to logs of wood. "We were very hungry and physically drained, but the thought of waiting families kept us going," said one of them. Finally, more than 22 hours later, the sea washed them ashore the Jakhau coast.

Though sick and semi-conscious, these six fishermen from Umarsali narrated their tale of valour and provided vital information to the Jakhau port authorities about 200 fishermen still marooned on a nearby island.

According to port authorities, these stranded fishermen may be on any of the five islands including Shaikh Ranapeer, Saylapeer and Ashira, about 35 to 40 nautical miles from Jakhau.