Navy, Coast Guard continue search for six missing fishermen off Vizag
Visakhapatnam, July 7
The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard continued their search and rescue operation for six fishermen who went missing off the coast of Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam for the third day on Tuesday.
Two ships and two helicopters of the Coast Guard continued the search on the basis of information given by a fisherman, who was rescued by a cargo ship on Sunday.
The Navy and Coast Guard personnel were focusing their search around Gangavaram, where the fishing boat went missing.
Strong winds and rough sea were posing a challenge to the personnel engaged in the operation.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been continuously monitoring the search and rescue operation. He directed the officials to widen their search and extend the radius.
Inspector General of Police Gopinath Jatti was supervising the search and rescue operations from the regional operations centre of the Coast Guard.
He briefed the Chief Minister that despite inclement weather, the search operation was continuing for the missing fishermen.
Home Minister V. Anitha and Irrigation Minister K. Atchanaidu were coordinating the efforts at the field level.
A group of seven fishermen belonging to Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts had left in a boat for fishing from Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on July 1.
As the sea conditions turned rough due to a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, their families had contacted them over mobile phones to alert them. The fishermen told their families they would return to the coast by the afternoon of July 4.
As they did not return and their mobile phones were found switched off, anxious families alerted the Coast Guard and Marine Police.
Kari Chinna, who owns the missing fishing boat, was rescued by a Panama-flagged merchant vessel, MV Universe Wealthy, on Sunday.
The Indian Navy airlifted him from the vessel to INS Dega on Monday evening. He was later shifted to KIMS ICON Hospital. According to doctors, he is in stable condition.
Chinna is likely to be discharged from the hospital in a couple of days.
Doctors quoted him as saying the boat capsized on Saturday at 3.30 p.m. He kept swimming to save himself and remained in the sea for about 18 hours before he was rescued by the crew of the merchant vessel around 9 a.m. on Sunday.
Meanwhile, on a complaint by families of the missing fishermen, coastal police registered a case and took up the investigation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Hats off to the rescued fisherman who survived 18 hours in the sea! That's incredible willpower. But why did they not return when the weather warning came? Mobile phones were on, families warned them, yet they stayed. We need better communication and training for fishermen about cyclone alerts.
This is heartbreaking. Fishermen are the backbone of our coastal economy, yet they work without proper safety gear. The govt should provide life jackets, GPS trackers, and emergency beacons on all boats. Also, why is the investigation only starting now after families complained? Should be automatic.
It's good to see the Indian Navy and Coast Guard responding quickly. The coordination between state and central agencies is commendable. As someone who follows international maritime news, I know how tough search ops are in rough seas. Hope the other six are found soon. 🇮🇳
The Panama-flagged ship deserves a salute for rescuing the fisherman. International cooperation at sea is vital. But I feel for the families—they must be going through hell. Government should also compensate them immediately. Chandrababu Naidu is doing a good job monitoring, but actions speak louder than tweets.
As a coastal resident, I know how unpredictable the Bay of Bengal can be. The low-pressure area turned into a nightmare for these families. The distress call system needs an upgrade—why didn't the boat have a satellite phone or an EPIRB? Lives depend on technology, but our fishermen still rely on basic phones. 😔
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