KAKINADA: Six fishermen who had gone missing off Kakinada coast on March 30 have been traced in the sea off Srikakulam coast, said N Srinivasa Rao, joint director of fisheries department on Tuesday.
It may be recalled that six fishermen, including the boat owner, ventured into the sea near Parlopeta in Kakinada on March 30. Three days after they reportedly went missing on April 3, the fishers informed their relatives that their boat engine had failed and they couldn't communicate the same due to poor mobile signals.
Upon receiving the information, the relatives, along with local TDP leader Tummala Ramesh alerted the officials in the fisheries department, but their pleas allegedly fell on deaf ears. On April 4, the family members lodged a grievance with the district collector Dr Kritika Shukla at the grievance cell.
Acting on the collector's directions, a coast-guard helicopter and two other boats started search operations on Tuesday. Eventually, at 5 pm on Tuesday the coast guard helicopter traced the fishermen near Srikakulam and the family members were informed that all the fishermen are safe.
While three of the six fishermen stayed back to repair the engine, the rest started back to Kakinada through the transportation arranged by the district officials, Srinivas said.
Stuck due to engine failure
Three days after they reportedly went missing on April 3, the fishers informed their relatives that their boat engine had failed and they couldn't communicate the same due to poor mobile signals