Six fishermen missing after boat capsizes off Visakhapatnam coast; search intensified
Six fishermen went missing after a mechanised fishing boat capsized off the Visakhapatnam coast amid rough sea conditions triggered by a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal. One fisherman was rescued by a passing merchant vessel, while search and rescue operations by the Indian Coast Guard, the Indian Navy, and the Coastal Security Police continued on Sunday.
The boat, bearing registration number IND-AP-VS-MM-83, had departed from the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on July 1 and was scheduled to return on Saturday evening. According to members of the fishing community, the crew had informed their families on Saturday afternoon that they were near the Gangavaram coast and expected to reach the harbour shortly.
The fishermen had reportedly been warned of rough seas and strong winds associated with the low-pressure system and advised to return to the harbour immediately. However, the boat failed to arrive as scheduled.
When repeated attempts to contact the crew failed, with their mobile phones switched off, family members alerted the authorities, said Vasuplli Janakiram, president of the East Coast Mechanised Fishing Boat Owners’ Association.
The missing fishermen have been identified as Meda Chinna Ammoru, Kari Seethodu, Kari Chinnayya, Ragathi Bandiyya, Kari Guraygayya, and Amara Appala Raju. They are natives of Mukkam village in Bhogapuram mandal of Vizianagaram district and Bheemunipatnam in Visakhapatnam district, and were residing in Visakhapatnam.
Visakhapatnam District Collector M. Abhishikt Kishore said the boat owner, Kari Chinna, had been rescued by a passing merchant vessel and that efforts were underway to trace the remaining six fishermen.
According to officials, Mr. Chinna said the boat had overturned in rough seas on Saturday afternoon, a short distance off the coast. The crew clung to the capsized vessel until about 9 p.m., when they spotted a passing ship.
“Five of us swam towards the vessel, but only I managed to climb aboard. The others could not reach it,” he told officials.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the rescue operation with the District Collector and other officials and directed them to intensify the search by deploying additional Coast Guard and Navy vessels, besides helicopters.
Mr. Kishore said all available resources had been mobilised for the rescue operation. Inspector-General of Police (Coastal Security) Gopinath Jatti also visited the Indian Coast Guard’s Regional Operations Centre in Visakhapatnam on Sunday to review the ongoing search and rescue operations with senior officials.