Two T.N. fishermen die as mechanized boat sinks mid-sea, two others rescued, search operation underway for one more

The two fishermen, from Pamaban in Ramanathapuram district, had gone fishing with three others on June 14, after the annual fishing ban period ended

A pall of gloom descended in Pamban, a coastal town in Ramanathapuram district, as news came in of the death of two fishermen, on Saturday, June 15, 2024.

Fisheries Department officials said that after the 61-day ban period for fishing ended on the night of June 14, many fishermen from the district had ventured into the sea in their mechanized boats. On one mechanized boat, bearing the registration number IND-TN-11-MM-110, five fishermen from the Mandapam north jetty had set off into the sea on Friday around noon, without obtaining the mandatory token from the Department.

At around 4 a.m. on Saturday, some fishermen spotted the mechanized boat sinking, five to eight nautical miles from the shore. They immediately went near the boat and managed to rescue two fishermen identified as Mohamed Hanifa (52) and Arockia Prasath (37) of Annai Nagar, Pamban.

The Indian Coast Guard personnel, who launched a search, along with other fishermen and divers, spotted two bodies five nautical miles off shore around 10 a.m. and brought them back shore. The officials identified the two bodies as Barakathullah (49) and Arockiam (53) of Pamban. The bodies were sent to the Government Ramanathapuram Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortems.

The Coast Guard is continuing with its search operation to locate another fisherman, whose name was given as Kaleel Mohamed (42).

Fishermen leaders in Pamban said that the mechanized boat had reportedly developed a snag and had sunk.