RAMANATHAPURAM: Two fishermen from Rameswaram went missing after their unregistered fishing boat capsized in Indian waters on Tuesday. The boat had four persons on board and the other two are safe. The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard have deployed rescue units to locate the missing fishermen.
According to official sources, more than 430 boats from Rameswaram took to the sea on Monday, including the unregistered boat carrying Dalvinraj (45), Emerit (49), Muniyandi (55) and Suresh (49). When the fishermen were returning to the shore on Tuesday, they encountered rough waters that damaged the boat, causing it to capsize. Dalwinraj swam to Katchatheevu and alerted the Sri Lankan Navy who then rescued Suresh. Both fishers were given first aid and handed over to officials of the Indian embassy in Sri Lanka, sources added.
The other two fishermen are still missing. Upon information, INS Parundhu and the Indian Coast Guard deployed helicopters and patrol units to search them. Their families in Rameswaram have urged the authorities to bring back the two fishers from Sri Lanka and rescue the missing two, sources said.
On August 1, a fisherman from Rameswaram died and another went missing after a Sri Lankan Navy patrol vessel collided with their fishing boat, causing it to capsize. Two others on board were rescued by the Lankan Navy in the incident. The missing fisherman is yet to be traced.