Chennai: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), which has intensified its activities to trace fishermen missing during Ockhi, rescued 23 men on Wednesday. The ships and aircraft of the Indian Navy besides the ICG continue to be at sea for the coordinated and extensive SAR operations in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep Islands.
The Indian Coast Guard ship provided medical - technical assistance to 2 fishing vessels carrying 23 fishermen who were rescued 56 Nautical miles off Ponnani in Kerala on Wednesday. These fishing boats have been at sea since Nov. 28. They were brought to Kochi this evening.
Giving an update on Op Sahayam, the ICG said the search and rescue mission being carried out by the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Indian Air Force to save fishermen and others stranded due to cyclone Ockhi is apace and 700 fishermen including 5 Sri Lankans have been rescued so far. The SAR response team recovered 2 bodies at sea off Kerala.
About seven ships and five aircraft of the Indian Navy besides 11 ships and four aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard have been deployed for the search and rescue operation. “Boat owners can be from Tamil Nadu or from other State. They usually go in ‘partnership’ and not workers in the same fishing boat. They invariably don’t inform the government about their fishing activities,” state fisheries minister D. Jayakumar has said. Explaining about the prevailing scenario, he says the fishermen go and fish anywhere in the Indian waters.
“Taking into account the prevailing conditions, the CM has reviewed the situation and directed the authorities to gather particulars on the exact number of fishermen who ventured into the sea he added.
