THOOTHUKUDI

Devarajan, 41, a fisherman, who was adrift in the sea for about eight hours, was rescued by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel on Wednesday.

After falling from a mechanised boat into the sea around 11.30 p.m. on Tuesday, Mr. Devarajan was fortunate to stay afloat till he was rescued by patrol vessel ICGS Vaibhav around 7.30 a.m.

The patrol vessel, after receiving a wireless call for help around 3.30 a.m. from the boat, which was located 60 km southeast of Pamban Light, started a calculated search for the fisherman.

By 5.30 a.m., the vessel reached the spot and commenced the search operation. Two hours later, the ICG personnel spotted Mr. Devarajan in the sea. “He was disoriented when he was rescued,” said Arvind Sharma, Commanding Officer, ICG Station,Thoothukudi.

The officers, who rescued him, administered first aid and his condition was stable. “It feels like I have got a new lease of life,” he said.

Mr. Devarajan, who hails from Narippaiyur in Ramanathapuram district, had ventured into the sea for fishing on the mechanised boat from Tharuvaikulam here on January 3.

Joint Director of Fisheries N. Chandra, who met Mr. Devarajan, advised him to wear a life jacket while fishing in the sea, and asked him to advise other fishermen to do so.