Nine fishermen missing off Chennai coast during Cyclone Murasu
The crew of a mechanised boat lost contact during rough weather after they were unable to return to shore.
Nine fishermen have gone missing at sea after their mechanised boat lost contact during Cyclone Murasu, according to reports by The Pioneer and ThePrint on Wednesday. The crew departed from the Kasimedu fishing harbour in Chennai on October 29 for a deep-sea fishing expedition.
The vessel, registered as TN 02 MM 2584 and owned by Selvalagan, was last in communication at 3 pm on November 3. Fisherman Sathish Kumar said the crew had been advised to return to the shore due to adverse weather but instead anchored next to another boat.
The disappearance was noted on Wednesday morning when drivers of the adjacent boat, Saravanan and Surya, reported that the vessel was no longer at its anchored position, Kumar said.
Local fishermen have filed official grievances with the Coast Guard, the Assistant Director of Fisheries, and state ministers to seek help. Kumar stated that while letters have been sent to the state government and the Coast Guard, no updates have been received yet.
The fishing community has requested the Tamil Nadu government to deploy helicopters and Coast Guard ships to locate and rescue the nine men.