Fishing boat sinks near Visakhapatnam Harbour, resulting in ₹20 lakh loss for fishermen

A fishing boat tragically sank near Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on August 8, 2024 evening. The incident has resulted in an estimated loss of Rs 20 lakh, a severe blow to the livelihoods of the fishermen involved.

This tragedy took place, when five fishermen were coming back to the fishing harbour after completing their fishing. While they were on their way back, all of a sudden boat’s engine failed, leaving five fishermen stranded at sea. Thanks to immediate rescue measures, all five crew members were safely rescued, but the boat itself was lost, causing significant financial damage to the fishermen.

The boat, identified as IND-AP-MM-V529, was returning to port after a day of fishing when the engine suddenly stopped functioning. Despite the fishermen’s attempts to stabilize the boat by anchoring, strong ocean currents overpowered their efforts. Due to high tide, the boat was destroyed and eventually sank near Visakhapatnam Harbour.

The remains of the boat were later washed away by the ocean currents and reached RK Beach shore, where beachgoers were shocked to see the wreckage.

The five fishermen, identified as Vasupalli Raju, Appanna, Lakshmayya, Raju, and Pravtiya, were rescued thanks to the quick response from local authorities, including the Fisheries Department and RK Beach lifeguards. JD Vijaya, a representative from the Fisheries Department, commended the efforts of the rescue teams but expressed regret over the loss of the boat. They mentioned that another boat attempted to tow the damaged one to shore, but the strong currents made it impossible. The fishermen are now seeking assistance from the government to recover from the substantial financial loss.

Similarly, two days ago, a group of fishermen from Tamil Nadu registered fishing boat, were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) near Kakinada coast, in Andhra Pradesh. According to the ICG members one of the fishermen suffered serious second-degree burns, while remaining crew suffered minor injuries.

Also read- Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour designed as no smoking zone post 19 November incident

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