Kerala intensifies search for 3 fishermen missing after separate boat mishaps
Kollam (Kerala): The Coastal Police on Friday intensified the search for a young fisherman who went missing after a fishing boat capsized near Puthenthura here on July 31, officials said. Officials at the Neendakara Coastal Police Station said additional boats, drones and personnel have been deployed to search for Gautam Krishna (26) of Puthenthura here.
Also, helicopters and vessels of the Coast Guard are engaged in the search operations, officials said. Gautam’s mother Reshma met senior Fisheries Department officials and police officers at the Kollam Coastal Police Station on Thursday.
After the meeting, she told reporters that Fisheries Department officials had informed her that certain search methods had not been adopted earlier as they had not been requested by the family, but those measures would now be implemented.
Later, Union Minister Suresh Gopi and Fisheries Minister intervened, following which the Coastal Police and the Fisheries Department decided to deploy more boats and personnel to expand the search over a wider area, officials said.
Gautam’s father, Radhakrishnan (48), and grandfather, Rajeevan (74), who were also on the fishing boat, died in the mishap. They were among a 14-member group that was on a fishing trip from Puthenthura on July 31.
While returning, their boat was caught in high waves near the estuary and capsized. Forest Minister Shibu Baby John Gautam’s house and told reporters that search operations, with the assistance of the Indian Coast Guard deploying helicopters, have been carried out since August 1.
“On Friday, we have also deployed drones for the search. All possible efforts are being made to trace Gautam,” he told reporters. Meanwhile, the DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M), staged a protest march to the Kollam Collectorate, alleging that the authorities had failed to take adequate steps to trace Gautam. After police blocked the protesters in front of the Collectorate, they raised slogans and attempted to force their way into the building.
Later, the protesters staged a sit-in at the entrance of the Collectorate and continued raising slogans. Meanwhile, the Vizhinjam Coastal Police are continuing the search for John (54) of Pulluvila, who went missing in a separate boat mishap off the Thiruvananthapuram coast on July 31.
John’s family recently staged a protest outside the Vizhinjam Coastal Police Station, alleging that the search operation was not being carried out effectively. The family has also demanded that experienced fishermen, who have better knowledge of the sea, be involved in the search operations following such boat mishaps.
On the other hand, family members of Shijin (32), who went missing after a fishing boat capsized off Muthalapozhi on July 31, staged a protest in front of the Anchuthengu Coastal Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
The family members sat on the rain-soaked road, alleging that proper search operations were not being carried out to trace Shijin. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan met the family and extended his support. Govindan alleged government negligence in the search operations for the three missing fishermen.
“Health Minister remarked it takes time to recover bodies when lost at sea. No one even knows who the Fisheries Minister is,” he said. He said that even though fishermen have been missing for the past eight days, no ministers met the family members.
Fr Eugene Pereira, who was the face of the anti-Vizhinjam port agitation, said more boat mishaps, maritime disasters and deaths were being reported in Kerala. “Such lethargy on the part of officials cannot continue anymore. Fishermen are agitated over the people who remain missing and the kind of action being taken to trace them,” he said.
Fisheries Minister V E Abdul Gafoor said an intensive search operation using all available resources was under way to trace the fishermen who went missing in separate boat mishaps off the Kerala coast.
Speaking to reporters, Gafoor said he had spoken to people in Neendakara and would also contact those in Muthalapozhi. “Officials are in constant contact with the families, and we are communicating with them regularly. We are monitoring the situation at all times,” he said.
The minister said he would visit the families, but the immediate priority was to strengthen the search operation and trace the missing fishermen.
“We are reviewing the situation on a day-to-day basis. We are hopeful of a positive outcome and are making every possible effort,” he said. The Kerala government issued a statement detailing the measures taken on a daily basis since the missing incidents were reported on July 31.
According to the statement, a coordinated search and rescue operation led by the Fisheries Department, Marine Enforcement, the Indian Coast Guard, the Coastal Police and the district administrations is continuing to trace the missing fishermen in the Muthalapozhi, Vizhinjam and Neendakara regions.
The statement said that search zones are being expanded based on weather conditions and ocean current data, while all available leads are being analysed to guide further search operations.
Indian Coast Guard ships continue the search for missing fishermen Shijin and John, it said, “The Coast Guard has informed that Dornier aircraft will conduct aerial searches for around three hours every day, and steps are under way to arrange additional aerial sorties,” it said.