Four fishermen missing after two boats capsize off Kerala coast
Four fishermen went missing after two fishing boats capsized in separate incidents off the Thiruvananthapuram coast amid rough sea conditions, police said on Saturday. The
Four fishermen went missing after two fishing boats capsized in separate incidents off the Thiruvananthapuram coast amid rough sea conditions, police said on Saturday. The accidents took place near the Muthalappozhi estuary and after a boat left Vizhinjam harbour. In a related development, the body of a fisherman who had gone missing after a boat capsized near Neendakara harbour in Kollam district on Friday was recovered on Saturday. The search was continuing for his son, who is still missing. Read Full Story In the first incident near Muthalappozhi, a fibre boat carrying four fishermen capsized at around 8.30 pm on Friday while returning after fishing.
Police identified the missing fishermen as Shijin, 32, and Freemon, 28, both residents of Anchuthengu. The boat owner, Jose, and another fisherman, Smith, managed to swim to safety. Family members of the missing fishermen staged a protest in front of the Anchuthengu Coastal Police Station, alleging a delay in launching the search operation. A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said assistance of the Indian Navy had been sought to trace the missing fishermen. Anchuthengu Coastal Police, which registered a missing persons case, said the search was being carried out in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard but was being hampered by adverse weather conditions.
Muthalappozhi estuary has witnessed several fatal boat accidents over the years due to rough sea conditions and high waves. In the second incident, a fishing boat carrying five fishermen capsized after leaving Vizhinjam harbour. Three fishermen were rescued, while two others remain missing, officials at the Vizhinjam Coastal Police Station said. Officials also said several fishing boats that had left from Vizhinjam and Sanghumugham could not be traced, and efforts were under way to establish contact and locate the vessels. Meanwhile, the body of Radhakrishnan, 48, a resident of Neendakara, was recovered during the search operation on Saturday after he went missing when a fishing boat capsized near Neendakara harbour on Friday morning.
The search was continuing for his son, Gautam Krishna, 26. The boats had ventured into the sea on Saturday after the 52-day annual trawling ban along the Kerala coast came to an end. Police and rescue agencies were continuing searches in the three incidents, with four fishermen still missing off the Thiruvananthapuram coast and one more missing near Neendakara in Kollam district. Ends
The BriefWire