CHENNAI: A massive search and rescue operation is under way to trace nine fishermen from Kasimedu whose trawler went missing off the Andhra Pradesh coast after being caught in severe cyclonic storm Murasu in the early hours of Tuesday. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has deployed a ship and a helicopter, but there was no confirmed information about the vessel or its crew till Wednesday evening.
The trawler had sent a distress message between 3.30 am and 5.30 am on Tuesday as the cyclone battered the region. The missing fishermen are K Pakkirisamy alias Suriya (49), the boat’s driver; M Kuppan (48); S Mohan (47); K Rajesh (52); A Murugan (48); L Kuppusamy (58); C Vijayakanth (44); A Aravindh (40), all from Kasimedu; and M Narayanan (57) from Cuddalore. Boat owner Selvalagan did not accompany them when the trawler left the harbour on October 29, police said.
A fisheries inspector told TNIE that the trawler was heading towards the northern Andhra Pradesh coast, a regular fishing route for deep-sea boats from Chennai. The crew had taken shelter near Nizampatnam Bay as weather conditions worsened.
The trawler was anchored alongside another fishing vessel when the cyclone struck. Both were dragged by strong winds and rough seas, with the second vessel drifting nearly 20 nautical miles.
“The last time the missing fishermen communicated with the other vessel over VHF, they said water was entering the engine room and sought help,” the fisheries official said.
However, the other vessel was also in trouble after water entered its engine room and could not reach the trawler owing to the severe weather and the distance created by the drift. When its crew later attempted to locate the missing boat, it was nowhere to be found.
The last communication with the fishermen was between 2 am and 3 am on November 3. More than 32 fishing boats operating in the vicinity were alerted through VHF radio. Marine police and authorities in Kakinada, Ongole and Bapatla were also informed, while TN fishing boats were asked to keep a lookout. The trawler’s navigation transponder was under repair and had not been serviced.
INCOIS director TM Balakrishnan Nair said its Search and Rescue Aid Tool had been used and the details shared with the authorities.
Fisheries Secretary Anu George said the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was coordinating the search, with the Coast Guard intensifying efforts. Meanwhile, relatives of the missing fishermen staged a protest at Royapuram on Wednesday, demanding swift action. Senior police officers and fisheries officials held talks with them.