Sitakunda police yesterday recovered the bodies of Jamshed, 22, Shamsul Alam, 32, and Didarul Alam, 29, from Bakkhali Canal of Sitakunda coast and sent them to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) morgue for autopsy. The body of the other pirate Salah Uddin, 33, is still to be recovered. Police sources said they all hailed from Barabkunda area of the upazila.

Police said the pirates, on board a large boat, attacked a fishing trawler in the channel and tried to snatch the fishing nets. Sensing danger the fishermen shot signal flares for help.

Fishermen fishing nearby, seeing the flares, rushed to the scene and encircled the pirates' boat. They captured four pirates and dump them into the sea after giving them a good thrashing. One of the pirates, however, escaped the wrath of the fishermen.