In brief
In Andhra Pradesh, four bodies of fishermen were recovered near Kothapatnam beach while another was found by the Coast Guard. The nine men had set out from Tamil Nadu on Oct. 29 and were caught in Cyclone Murasu. Five fishermen remain missing as local officials coordinate a search with Tamil Nadu authorities.
In the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, the bodies of four fishermen were recovered after their boat capsized during Cyclone Murasu, while five others are still missing, officials said on Thursday.
The fishermen, who all hailed from the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, had embarked together in a single boat on October 29. They were caught in the cyclone’s early‑morning squalls, and the vessel overturned about two kilometres from the coastline.
Three of the bodies washed ashore and were found near Kothapatnam beach. A fourth corpse was retrieved from the sea by Indian Coast Guard officials operating in the area. Local authorities confirmed that a total of nine fishermen had been on the ill‑fated boat.
According to reports, the rescue effort was coordinated by a local government official, who confirmed that the bodies were found and that efforts were underway to locate the missing men. The search involved officials from Andhra Pradesh working closely with counterpart agencies in Tamil Nadu.
Senior government official Raja Babu was quoted as saying that his team had been in touch with counterparts in Tamil Nadu and that steps were being taken to find the missing fishermen. He did not provide a specific timeline for the search missions, but noted that the search was ongoing.
Search and rescue operations
The Indian Coast Guard had already begun patrols in the affected sector of the western Bay of Bengal after the cyclone struck early on Tuesday. The Coast Guard’s rescue triage teams were deployed to the wreckage site, and they recovered the four bodies found on or near the shore.
Local search teams, consisting of coast guard sailors, fishermen’s families, and volunteers, are continuing their sweep of the surrounding coastal waters. In the same time frame, officials have broadcast appeals for any witnesses or boat crews who may have seen the missing fishermen during the chaos of Murasu. A rapid increase in search zones has resulted in the deployment of additional vessels and helicopter support to cover the extensive coastline.
Neither the Coast Guard nor local officials have confirmed whether the missing fishermen could have survived on floating debris or were swept inland by the cyclone’s forceful currents. The fate of those five men remains uncertain, and authorities have urged the families to keep communication lines open so that any new information can reach the search teams promptly.
The broader area of the cyclone’s path has seen widespread reports of damage to fishing villages and small fishing boats. The recovery of four bodies is a grim reminder of the daily hazards faced by fishing communities in southern coastal India, particularly when cyclonic weather is forecast.
While the investigation into the cause of the capsizing continues, it is presumed that the strong winds and waves generated by Cyclone Murasu overwhelmed the vessel’s stability. Authorities are also reviewing the warning systems and emergency preparedness plans of fishing fleets operating in the region to mitigate future losses.
The local government has pledged to support the families of the victims, offering compensation and assistance in locating missing fishermen. The search is expected to continue over the coming days, with officials hoping for a swift resolution to the tragic impact of the cyclone.
