Tiruchendur: In a major coastal tragedy, at least nine persons including a minor boy met with a watery grave as a boat capsized in mid-sea off Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district on Sunday.
As many as 30 men, women and children from Alagammanpuram and Padugapaththu villages near Tiruchendur went on a picnic to a coastal area, Manapad, on Sunday evening. They hired a fibre boat for a fun sea ride, but the overloaded boat, hit by high tide, capsized with all 30 passengers on board.
On hearing their cry for help, the local fishermen plunged into the sea to rescue the passengers. On information, fire and rescue services teams along with coastal security group police and a rescue boat from Thoothukudi coast guard station also rushed to the spot.
Till 8.30 pm on Sunday, nine bodies have been fished out, while 19 others were rescued with injuries. All the injured persons were rushed to Tiruchendur government hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Rescue operations to find the remaining passengers are continuing. The death toll, however, could go up, said a rescue team official.
