KOCHI: The Navy, Coast Guard and boats from Munambam harbour continued the search for seven men who went missing after the mid-sea collision on August 7. Though INS Sutlej - a survey ship specialising in underwater search operations - continued the search around the spot where the wreckage of fishing boat Oceanic was found, no information could be gathered about the missing men.
The rescue team had fished out a body on Sunday, which was later identified to be that of Yesupalan, son of Aruldasan, a resident of Ramanthurai in Tamil Nadu.
The body was shifted to Kalamassery Government Medical College, where it was handed over to relatives after conducting an autopsy. The rescue team had fished out the body of Siju, a native of Maliankara, on Saturday. The search is on to locate seven fishermen - Sahayaraj, Saalu, Paulson, Arun, Rajesh and Jinesh - all natives of Tamil Nadu and Bipul Das, a native of West Bengal.
Meanwhile, the victims’ relatives are seeking the intervention of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as the Navy and Coast Guard need permission from the top brass to continue the rescue mission.
The Fisheries Department is ready to conduct salvage operations if the boat owner or the Tamil Nadu government come forward to bear the expenses. The TN government has announced that it will bear the expenses for transporting the bodies to Ramanthurai. According to sources, the fishermen are putting pressure on the state government to seek the help of the defence minister.