KENDRAPARA: A fisherman went missing and two others were rescued after their boat capsized in Gobari river mouth, around one km from Kharinashi jetty here on Tuesday afternoon.
The missing fisherman is 35-year-old Bapi Mandal of Ramanagar village. Jamboo Marine police IIC Somyaranjan Biswal said the ill-fated boat ventured into the sea from Kharinashi jetty with four fishermen on Monday. When the vessel was returning with fish, it encountered gusty winds and capsized.
All the four fishermen jumped into the sea when the boat started to sink.Three of them struggled in strong currents for nearly an hour before they were rescued by another fishing vessel.
The rescued fishermen are now undergoing treatment in the government hospital in Mahakalapada. Search operation is underway to trace the missing fisherman involved in the incident, informed Biswal.
Vice-president of the district fishermen’s association Arjun Mandal said the boat capsized after hitting the sandy bottom during the low tide period. Due to deposition of sand in the river mouth, boats are frequently hitting the sandbank during the low tide period. For years, de-silting has not been carried out at the river mouth, resulting in accumulation of sand and mud, he claimed.