Kerala: Four fishermen missing as boat capsizes off Munambam harbour; massive search ops underway

Three fishermen - Maniyan and Baiju of Malipuram Chappa fishermen colony and Anandan of Pallipuram coastal hamlet in Alappuzha district - were rescued by a fishing boat that spotted them at 9 pm.

Fishermen Baiju, Maniyan and Anandan were rescued four and a half hours after their boat capsized mid sea. (Express)

KOCHI: It has been more than 24 hours since Nanma, a fibre boat, capsized around 11 nautical miles off Munambam coast and despite a massive search and rescue operation, the four missing fishermen could not be traced. 

The operation was led by the Coast Guard in association with the enforcement wing of Kerala's fisheries department and 50 fishing vessels after four fishermen went missing following the capsize of 'Nanma' on Thursday evening.

The four fishermen were returning after collecting fish from onboard Samrudhi, a large inboard fishing vessel, when their fibre boat 'Nanma' capsized around 11 nautical miles from Munambam coast at around 4.30 pm on Thursday. The fishermen clung on to their capsized boat for around four and a half hours waiting for help. Meanwhile, four of them - Shaji, 53, Mohanan, 53, and Sarath, 24, of Malippuram Chappa coastal hamlet, and Yesudas alias Raju, 56, of Pallipuram in Alappuzha district - drifted away and went missing in the sea.

Anandan and Yesudas had boarded the ill-fated fibre boat from the large inboard vessel to return home. According to the fisheries department, overloading was the reason for the boat capsize.

Missing fishermen - L to R: Sarath, Shaji, Yesudas, Mohanan

Three fishermen - Maniyan and Baiju of Malipuram Chappa fishermen colony and Anandan of Pallipuram coastal hamlet in Alappuzha district - were rescued by a fishing boat that spotted them at 9 pm. Workers in a boat 'St Jude' had informed the fisheries department after which a search operation was launched by the Coast Guard.

However, the search was stopped late in the night due to bad weather.

On Friday morning, the Coast Guard deployed a Dornier winged aircraft and a helicopter during the search operation.

The Maritime Rescue Sub Centre in Kochi too has initiated a search and rescue operation.

The Coast Guard has diverted its fast patrol vessel Abhinav which was patrolling in North Kerala to the area. Interceptor boat C-162 was also rushed to the spot.

The fisheries department has deployed three patrol boats and a marine ambulance to help with the search.

A special team of divers have been deployed for the search. 

The Coast Guard said the rough sea conditions and strong wind were causing hindrances to the search operation.