CG launches operation to trace four missing fishermen

Four fishermen are reportedly missing since Thursday after they put to sea from a Pamban coastal hamlet and a search operation has been launched by the coast guard to trace them, officials said Saturday.

Rameswaram Assistant Director of Fisheries, T.Yuvaraj, said Indian Coast Guard ships from Mandapam and Karaikkal stations and a helicopter from INS Parundu at Uchipuli were engaged in the search operations.

He said the four fishermen had sailed in an unregistered Fibreglass boat on Thursday morning.

As per schedule, they should have returned on Friday morning.

The fishermen had illegally put to sea despite an advisory to stay away from fishing due to choppy weather condition, the official said.

He said fishermen from Nagapattinam, Kottaaipattinam, Jegadhapattinam, Pudukottai, Mandapam, Pamban and Rameswaram along the Palk Bay were advised not to venture into the sea for fishing for one week.

Ramanathapuram M.P. K.Nawaz Kani has appealed to the Centre to take all steps to rescue the missing fishermen.