One of the seven fishermen who had gone missing off the Visakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh has been found safe, while the search continues for the remaining six. The fishermen, hailing from Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts, set out for fishing on July 1 from Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour.
Due to rough sea conditions caused by a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, the families of the fishermen raised concerns when they could not be contacted after assuring a return by July 4. The Coast Guard and Marine Police were alerted when the fishermen did not return and their phones were switched off.
Kare Chinnaiah, the owner of the fishing boat, was rescued by a ship crew and safely brought back to the coast on Sunday. Although five other fishermen were reportedly found by the ship crew, only Chinnaiah managed to board the ship. Search efforts have been escalated based on the information provided by him to locate the missing fishermen.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has instructed for an intensified search operation to find the missing fishermen. He communicated with senior officials from Kuppam in Chittoor district, where it was reported that a Coast Guard vessel is actively searching for the missing boat in the Bay of Bengal.
Officials disclosed that the boat, carrying seven fishermen, departed from Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on June 1 and was expected back by June 4 but faced technical issues. Search operations, including the use of Navy helicopters, commenced on Sunday morning after a technical problem near the Gangavaram coast was reported. Currently, the Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Police are all involved in the search efforts.
The Chief Minister has directed the Marine IG and the Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police to coordinate the search operations and keep him informed of any developments. Additionally, Minister Atchannaidu and local public representatives from Visakhapatnam have been tasked to provide support to the families of the missing fishermen.
