Indian Coast Guard rescues 10 stranded Tamil Nadu fishermen

The boat suffered a breakdown and continued drifting since September 1. Following an SOS, a search by the Coast Guard ships and aircraft located the boat 240 miles off Chennai.

The fishermen who were rescued by the Coast Guard in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has rescued 10 Tamil Nadu fishermen, who were stranded in the Bay of Bengal for six days after their boat developed a technical snag. According to the Coast Guard, fishing boat IFB Ganapathi Perumal ventured into the sea for fishing from Kasimedu harbour on August 24.

The boat suffered a breakdown and continued drifting since September 1. Following an SOS, a surface/air coordinated search by the Coast Guard ships and aircraft located the boat at 240 miles off Chennai. Coast Guard Ship Ayush reached the location in the early hours of Wednesday, provided emergency assistance to the fishermen and towed the boat to the fishing harbour in Vizag.

Later, the Tamil Nadu fishermen were handed over to the Fisheries Department. The rescued fishermen included Saravanan (28), M Saravanan (26), S Raju (40), Farooque (30), S Ravi (37), Senthil (40), A Durai Raj (29), Ganeshan (47), Ravi Kumar (39) and Velu (45).

Joint Director of Fisheries G Vijaya told TNIE that she received a call from the Coast Guard that they were towing the distressed fishing boat to Vizag port and wanted to berth it at the harbour. She said the boat arrived on Thursday morning and necessary repairs were being done to the mechanical problem. It may take three to four days and once the boat is ready, the TN fishermen will leave for Chennai, she added.