The operator of the trawler that had capsized in the Bay of Bengal on June 10 passed away at Tamluk Subdivisional Hospital on Saturday, taking the toll in the accident to nine.

The ninth victim is Sheikh Iqbal Hossain, 32. The trawler had sunk off the coast of Petuaghat in East Midnapore.

“Iqbal had ingested too much saltwater during his 30-hour ordeal at the sea after the capsizing. That damaged his lungs, and made a lot of our resuscitation work using oxygen support unsuccessful,” said the chief medical officer (East Midnapore) Bibhas Roy.

On Sunday, the families of the deceased were provided with Rs 20,000 each at the fisheries department headquarters in Contai.