Thiruvananthapuram: Tension gripped the coastal hamlets here as the possibility of the missing persons' survival seemed to decrease every hour. Over hundred people from Thiruvananthapuram were missing. They include seven from Poovar, four from Valiyathura and six from Thumba. Many from Vizhinjam, Poonthura, Adimalathura and Perumathura had not returned from the sea. The men from most coastal hamlets went in search of the missing persons despite weather warning and brought the bodies of fishermen, many of which were yet to be identified. They took the matter into their own hand after officials did not permit them to accompany them during rescue missions.
At Kazhakoottam, fisherfolk, including 30 women from various fishing hamlets, blocked the national highway in the afternoon. They refused to move until they see the missing ones. In the evening, collector K. Vasuki dispersed the crowd explaining that the officials were doing their best in rescue operations. Meanwhile, around six fishermen who were rescued by Coast Guards walked out of the ambulance claiming they need no medical help.
Several fishermen demanded that the area of rescue operation should be widened to 70 nautical miles, though many of the boats usually venture to areas up to 40. "By now, they would have spent over two days without food or water. Survival will be difficult without a lot of fresh water as they might have already swallowed salt water that triggers dehydration," said C. Gilbert, a fisherman who was part of a rescue mission.
