Andhra Fishermen Missing: Coast Guard Deploys 15 Vessels, 4 Helicopters For Search

Search operations in the Bay of Bengal for seven fishermen from Andhra Pradesh’s Amalapuram region have been intensified with the deployment of 15 Indian Coast Guard vessels and four helicopters, state Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said on Tuesday.

The search is being conducted in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy and other relevant departments, with support from the Central Government. Atchannaidu said the alert level for the Coast Guard had been raised after Amalapuram MP Harish Balayogi met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday to discuss efforts to locate the missing fishermen.

Following directions from the Deputy Director General (Operations) at the Coast Guard headquarters, the Eastern and North-Eastern Commands based in Kolkata have also been mobilised. Fifteen Coast Guard vessels and four helicopters stationed in nearby waters have been deployed to expand the search area and speed up efforts to locate the missing boat and its occupants.

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Electronic surveillance is also being carried out under the supervision of the Marine Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC). Maritime authorities in Myanmar and Bangladesh have been alerted in case the boat has drifted into foreign waters or information about its location emerges from those countries.

The fishermen, from Ambedkar Konaseema district, had ventured into the Bay of Bengal on August 3 and were expected to return on August 12. The Coast Guard is examining several possibilities, including the boat drifting into foreign waters or becoming stranded at sea following an engine failure. Information received from maritime authorities is being analysed alongside electronic surveillance data.

Officials are also considering ocean currents, wind direction and speed, weather conditions and the usual fishing routes while conducting the search. Operations have been expanded across areas including Diamond Harbour, the Sundarbans and surrounding marine waters. The state government is monitoring the operation and coordinating with central agencies, with authorities continuing efforts to locate the fishermen and bring them back safely.

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