Four Fishermen Missing at Sea Safely Rescued in Dramatic Operation
In a heartening turn of events, four fishermen from Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu, who had been missing at sea for days, were successfully rescued by the Indian Coast Guard in a joint operation on Sunday. The men, identified as Mummoorthy (40), Vinayagam (30), Manikandan (30), and Mani (35), hail from Ponnagaram near Manamelkudi.
A Perilous Journey and Failed Return
The group had embarked on their fishing trip from the Ponnagaram country boat landing centre on January 9. Venturing into the sea in a traditional country boat, they were expected to return to the shore by Friday evening. However, when they failed to return and could not be contacted, alarm bells began to ring.
Fellow fishermen, growing increasingly worried about their safety, immediately launched a search effort using their own country boats. Unfortunately, this initial attempt proved unsuccessful, and the missing men could not be located.
Joint Search Operation Springs into Action
The situation prompted a larger, coordinated search and rescue mission. Fishermen joined forces with officials from the Coast Guard and the fisheries department. The rescue team set out to sea in two trawlers dispatched from the Jagadapattinam trawler fishing harbour.
After an extensive search, the four fishermen were finally located. They were found drifting approximately 15 to 16 nautical miles off the coast. Their boat had sustained damage, and critically, the anchor rope had snapped, leaving them helpless and stranded on the open waters.
Rescue Amidst Ignored Weather Warnings
The Coast Guard team successfully rescued all four individuals and brought them back to shore safely, along with their damaged boat. Officials later revealed a crucial detail that added to the peril of their situation.
The fishermen had ventured out despite an official warning issued against fishing activities. This warning was in effect due to the formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, which led to predictably rough and dangerous sea conditions. Their decision to ignore this advisory significantly increased the risk they faced.
The successful rescue brought immense relief to the local fishing community and underscored the importance of inter-agency coordination and heeding weather alerts to prevent such harrowing ordeals at sea.
