Missing fishermen rescued after 23 days

Amalapuram: The ordeal of seven fishermen from Konaseema district, who went missing at sea nearly 23 days ago, ended on a positive note with all of them being traced safe off the West Bengal coast and brought to a port for medical attention.

District collector Dr R Mahesh Kumar, accompanied by Superintendent of Police Rahul Meena and Fisheries Department Joint Director Karunakar, disclosed the details of the incident and the rescue operation at a press conference held at the Collectorate on Thursday.

The collector said the fishing boat ‘Mutyallamma’, registered at Komaragiripatnam in Allavaram mandal, had set sail from the Odalarevu fish landing centre on August 3 for a 15-day deep-sea fishing trip. Seven fishermen were on board.

Communication between the fishermen and their families was lost around 2 pm on the same day, causing concern among their relatives. The boat owner’s brother approached the authorities on August 14 and lodged a complaint. A missing case was immediately registered and search efforts were launched in coordination with various agencies.

The Coast Guard and Navy were alerted, while information was also shared with security agencies in West Bengal and along the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders. The State government, district administration and Fisheries department closely monitored the search operation.

The fishermen were finally traced on the morning of August 26 off the West Bengal coast. The crew of another fishing boat, ‘Arabinda Barman’, spotted the missing fishermen while travelling from Digha port towards Shankarpur and alerted the authorities. Preliminary information indicated that a technical problem in the gearbox of the ‘Mutyallamma’ had caused the boat to lose control and drift away in the sea.

A rescue operation continued for nearly 10 hours, with officials and the crew of the other boat coordinating efforts to tow the fishing boat safely to the West Bengal port. The boat reached the port at around 10 pm on Wednesday. All seven fishermen were brought ashore safely. Boat driver Tatarao reportedly suffered from mild ill health, while the other six fishermen were in good health. All seven underwent medical examinations with the assistance of local Marine Police and are currently resting at the Boat Owners Association guesthouse in West Bengal.

The collector said the developments related to the rescue operation had been conveyed to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the Prime Minister’s Office. The State government has arranged a special vehicle to bring the fishermen back to Konaseema district. Officials will monitor their journey, health condition and other requirements and ensure that they reach their families safely at the earliest.

Mahesh Kumar said the fishermen had set out with provisions for a 15-day deep-sea fishing trip but were forced to remain at sea for 23 days due to the unexpected circumstances. The administration would obtain detailed information from them about the conditions they faced, including how they managed food, drinking water and fuel, as well as the technical problems encountered by the boat. Their experience would be documented comprehensively so that it could help improve the safety of fishermen venturing into the sea in future, he said.

The collector said a special brainstorming session would be held at the Collectorate on Monday afternoon after the fishermen return to the district. Fishermen and officials would discuss mandatory safety protocols, emergency equipment on boats, communication systems, advance inspection of engines and gearboxes, and procedures for contacting authorities during emergencies to prevent similar incidents in future.

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The Hans India