Fisherman Not Traced, Search Called Off
The search for 45-year-old fisherman Volisetti Appanna, who fell overboard off Visakhapatnam, was called off after Coast Guard and Navy teams failed to trace him.
The 45-year-old fisherman Volisetti Appanna, who went missing from Thursday, could not be traced till Friday evening. The Coast Guard, Navy boats, helicopters and a Dornier aircraft, which were deployed to track Appanna, drew a blank and withdrew operations.
The search has been called off on Friday evening after failing to find the missing fisherman,’’ said joint director of fisheries J. Lakshmana Rao.
He said the ill-fated boat with the remaining seven fishermen who assisted the central agencies in search operations returned to the harbour on Friday evening.
A formal complaint has been lodged at the One Town police station, the joint director said.
It may be recalled that Appanna was part of the eight-member crew that set sail from the Vizag coast on August 16. During their return to the Vizag coast on August 20 (12.15 am on Thursday), Appanna went to the rear of the fishing boat to put salt to preserve the catch. The crew members heard a sudden splash. When they went back to check, Appanna was found missing.
The incident took place 11 nautical miles off the Visakhapatnam coast.