Search continues for missing fishermen off Kothapatnam coast

Authorities are continuing search operations for two missing Tamil Nadu fishermen, Rajesh and Narayanan, after their boat, the Sri Sengalamman, capsized near the Kothapatnam shore during Cyclone Murasu. Of the nine men on board, seven bodies have been recovered.

The Indian Coast Guard reported that the vessel left Kasimedu on October 29 and had taken shelter at Nizampatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Despite weather warnings regarding the cyclone, the crew reportedly departed Nizampatnam on the night of November 2, potentially mistaking a lull in winds for the storm passing. The Coast Guard deployed an aircraft from Chennai and a ship from Krishnapatnam to conduct aerial and maritime searches between November 3 and November 5.

While search teams and scuba divers from Visakhapatnam have examined the submerged vessel, they have not yet located the remaining two individuals. The Prakasam Joint Director of Fisheries, Srinivasa Rao, stated that boat owners will work to bring the capsized vessel ashore, a task requiring special machinery and technical support. Meanwhile, families of the fishermen have raised allegations against the boat owner and the Coast Guard, claiming that a lack of timely intervention contributed to the tragedy.