Ramanathapuram
Expressing shock and dismay over the drowning of two country boat fishermen, more than a week after they set out for fishing on July 4 and went missing, the Traditional Fishermen Federation has called for the formation of ‘Fishermen disaster rescue management team’ to launch immediate search and rescue operations when fishermen were caught in distress.
Pointing that no system was available to launch search and rescue operation when fishermen faced distress or went missing while fishing on the high seas, the federation coordinator S Chinnathambi suggested that the fully equipped rescue team could be in stand-by to come to the rescue of fishermen when they were in distress.
Stating that the two country boat fishermen – Chindas, 43, from Thangachimadam, and Minon, 41, from Pamban, who were found drowned near Point Calimere, who had set out for fishing along with two others, could have been traced and rescued had there been a proper system for search and rescue operations.
The search operations, launched by local fishermen and joined by the Mandapam Station of Indian Coast Guard (ICG), INS Parundu, the Indian Naval Air Station, and Marine Police of the Coastal Security Group (CSG), a day after the fishermen went missing, not only lacked coordination but remained ineffective, he alleged.
After the fibreglass fishing boat capsized, the four fishermen remained afloat in the sea, clinging on to the frontal portion of the boat for nearly four days, 16 nautical miles off Nambuthalai, a coastal village in Thiruvadanai block in the district but neither the fishermen nor the ICG or Marine police could trace them, he said.
It was the Nambuthalai fishermen, who set out for fishing on July 8 after the sea became calm traced and rescued two fishermen – Stepher, 42, and Anthony, 40. The deceased fishermen also clung on to the boat till the other day but gave up after losing the stamina. The bodies of the two fishermen were recovered near Point Climere on July 12 and 13.
The government, which kept ready disaster management team for rescuing people during cyclones and other natural calamities, should put in place a similar team to come to the rescue of fishermen in distress, Mr Chinnathambi suggested.
The team should comprise the ICG, Indian Navy, Marine Police, Indian Space Research Organisation, and local fishermen, he said.