A gang of eight pirates from Myanmar attacked the fishing boat at about 11:00am when the fishermen were sleeping, said Jono Majhi, 38, who luckily survived the attack and returned to the coast by another fishing boat.

"The gang killed six of us and threw the bodies into the Bay. Then they looted our fishing boat," he said.

Five of the victims are Monir Majhi, 37, Habib, 45, and Bhandhari, 45, from Bagerhat, Abul Kalam, 40, from Khulna, and Farid, 35, from Maheshkhali. The bodies have been missing in the Bay.

A police team of Sadar Police Station rushed to Nazirar Tek in Bakkhali river 1.5km west of Cox's Bazar beach and talked with the surviving fisherman.

Jono Majhi said the pirates in the guise of fishermen accompanied them in caching fish in the Bay.

He named the pirates as Robin, 35, Razzak, 38, Shani, 28, Kalam, 22, Horathi, 30, and Nonoyea, 25.