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Bodies of missing Kasimedu fishermen found on Andhra coast, Vijay announces ₹7 lakh aid

Nine Chennai fishermen went missing as Cyclone Murasu churned the sea. Three bodies have been identified in Prakasam district and the search goes on for the rest.

From the editorial desk · ChennaiPublished
Fishing boats moored at a harbour in Chennai under a grey sky (file photo)
Fishing boats moored at a harbour in Chennai under a grey sky (file photo)Vkraja / Wikimedia

Key points

  1. Three bodies were identified on the Kothapatnam coast in Prakasam district.
  2. Chief Minister Vijay announced ₹7 lakh for each family, ₹2 lakh of it at once.
  3. The boat lost contact on November 3 after its engine failed at sea.

The bodies of fishermen from Chennai’s Kasimedu who went missing at sea last week have been found on the Andhra Pradesh coast, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Thursday evening announced ₹7 lakh for each bereaved family.

Nine men set out on a mechanised boat from Chennai Fishing Harbour on October 29. According to the Chief Minister’s statement, the boat’s engine failed in deep sea on the night of November 2, and a wireless message reached another boat early on November 3. Nothing more was heard from the crew.

The bodies of S Mohan, A Murugan and S Vijayakanth were recovered and identified on the Kothapatnam coast in Prakasam district. Five deaths were being reported by evening, and the search for the other men is going on.

A warning and a missed harbour

As Cyclone Murasu approached, fishermen at sea were told to return. Several Kasimedu boats took shelter off Andhra Pradesh, at Ramayapatnam and Nizampatnam. Fishermen in Chennai said contact with the missing crew was lost on November 3, and families had pleaded with fisheries officials and the Coast Guard for a quick rescue.

Vijay said he was deeply saddened by the news and offered his condolences to the families. Of the ₹7 lakh, ₹2 lakh will be paid at once. The bodies will be brought back to Tamil Nadu at government expense and handed to the families.

He also ordered officials to speed up identification and the search for the remaining fishermen. The state Fisheries Department has asked Chennai and Andhra Pradesh fishing boats and Indian Coast Guard ships to join the search, and its officials are working with the Andhra Pradesh authorities.