THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nearly two weeks after Cyclone Ockhi lashed the region, confusion continues to prevail over the exact number of fishermen still missing in the sea. The government stand is less than 100 men remain to be found. As per a government update on Monday, 95 men - all from Thiruvananthapuram district - were still missing. But the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram, which is active along the coast, claims the number for the district stands at 232.
“Ninety-eight of the men had gone out in small, country boats. Again, 134 others from the district, who were working in boats that had left fishing harbours elsewhere, also haven’t returned. We’ve village-wise data with us,’’ Fr Eugene H Pereira, Vicar General of the Archdiocese, said. “Despite this, the government persists in saying that only 95 men are missing,’’ he said.
He said the Church is in the final stages of compiling all data along with their photographs. A copy of it will be presented to Governor P Sathasivam when M Soosa Pakiam, the Latin Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram, calls on him on Tuesday, Pereira said. Although the meeting was scheduled for Monday, it was postponed after the Raj Bhavan march organised by the church got delayed.
According to the Church, 20 boats which had left Kochi were yet to be traced. During the Raj Bhavan march, demonstrators held aloft photographs of many missing men, demanding the government to rescue them. On Saturday, Chief Secretary K M Abraham had written to the Air Force, Navy and the Coast Guard to continue their search operations for another 10 days.
1 more body brought back
The death toll in Cyclone Ockhi has touched 43, according to the state government’s latest update. One dead body, recovered by Coast Guard vessel Samar from near Minicoy atoll, was brought to Vizhinjam on Monday morning. The body has not been identified yet.
Soosa Pakiam recalls personal experiences
T’Puram: Latin Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram M Soosa Pakiam recalled his own family’s tragedy at sea. His maternal grandfather, a fisherman, had died while saving a colleague and his father had gone missing for several days in the sea, but was rescued.