Seven vessels, aircraft deployed in search operations for missing eight fishermen
Indian authorities have launched a large-scale search and rescue operation for eight fishermen missing at sea since early August. The mission involves multiple vessels and aircraft from the Indian Navy and Coast Guard covering a wide area of the coast.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by the fishing community and the coordination required for maritime search and rescue operations.
A massive search and rescue operation involving seven Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels, Dornier aircraft and a Navy helicopter is under way to trace the eight fishermen who went missing after setting out to sea from Vadarevu Fishing Landing Centre on August 3, said Andhra Pradesh Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu.
In a statement on Thursday, the Minister said that the search operation had been intensified with the coordinated deployment of all available resources by the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and the State Fisheries Department.
The boat carrying the eight fishermen failed to return as scheduled, following which search operations were launched after the authorities were alerted. Since August 17, five Coast Guard vessels have been engaged in the operation, while the Navy has deployed two additional ships, taking the total number of vessels involved in the search to seven.
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