VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed the Coast Guard, Marine Police, local fishermen and other departments to intensify the search for two Tamil Nadu-based fishermen missing after their boat sank during Cyclone Murasu.
Naidu on Friday asked officials to ensure close coordination among all agencies involved in the rescue operations.
Expressing grief over the deaths of seven fishermen in the incident, Naidu conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. Reviewing the search and rescue operations, he sought details from officials, who informed him that the boat had washed ashore at Kothapatnam beach in Prakasam district.
Nine fishermen from Kasimedu in Chennai were aboard the mechanised boat, which encountered engine trouble near Ramayapatnam port on November 3 after setting out to sea on October 29.
Seven bodies had been recovered, while two fishermen remained missing. Search operations had been under way for three days, with the Indian Coast Guard playing a key role.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to expedite the identification of the deceased, postmortem examinations and other formalities, and ensure that the bodies were handed over to their families without delay. He also asked them to coordinate with the Tamil Nadu authorities and arrange transportation of the remains to their native places.
Notably, Tamil Nadu finance minister Marie Wilson is camping in AP on the directions of chief minister Joseph Vijay to coordinate matters with officials and expedite the search and related arrangements.
The TN government has sanctioned an initial compensation of `7 lakh to each affected family and agreed to bear the transportation expenses for shifting the recovered bodies from RIMS Hospital in Ongole to Kasimedu.
Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan also expressed condolences and directed the officials to intensify the search with the assistance of the Coast Guard, Marine Police and local fishing communities. He stressed the need for strict precautionary measures during cyclone warnings and timely communication of adverse weather conditions to fishermen.
Meanwhile, DMK deputy general secretary and MP Kanimozhi criticised the Tamil Nadu government over the alleged delay in launching the rescue operations. Questioning why immediate action had not been taken despite information about the missing fishermen, she demanded higher compensation for the bereaved families.
Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, also questioned how the boat was allowed to venture into the sea despite weather advisories and sought enhanced relief.
Wilson said the mechanised boat lacked mandatory safety equipment, proper commercial insurance and essential regulatory documents. He said marine safety protocols and enforcement mechanisms would be strengthened to prevent such incidents.
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