Nine fishermen missing at sea near Chennai during Cyclone Murasu
The crew of a mechanised boat lost contact on Sunday after being unable to return to shore due to rough weather.
Nine fishermen have gone missing at sea after their mechanised boat lost contact amid rough weather conditions near Chennai, according to reports by Deccan Chronicle and Siasat on Wednesday.
The crew had departed from the Kasimedu fishing harbour for deep-sea fishing on October 29 in a vessel with registration number TN 02 MM 2584. The boat is owned by a local fisherman, Selvalagan.
Fisherman Sathish Kumar stated that communication with the boat was severed at 3 pm on November 3. He said the crew had been instructed to return to shore but could not make the journey, leading them to drop anchor alongside another vessel.
Kumar noted that drivers of a nearby boat, Saravanan and Surya, informed the community on the morning of November 4 that the vessel was no longer at its anchored spot.
The fishing community has submitted formal complaints to the Assistant Director of Fisheries, the Coast Guard, and state ministers. Kumar said they have not yet received any information following their letters to the state government and the Coast Guard.
The community has requested the Tamil Nadu government to deploy Coast Guard ships and helicopters to rescue the nine men.