Four persons went missing in the Banasurasagar reservoir at Padinjarethara in the district on Sunday night. A group of seven persons were fishing in the reservoir in coracles when the accident occurred.
Those missing are Sanchin, 20, son of Chandran of Kattilathu Veetil at Nellipoyil; Binu , 42, son of John of Vattachodu at Chembukadavu; Melvin, 34, son of Mathew of Manithodi Veettil at Nellipoyil, near Thusharagiri, in Kozhikode district; and Wilson, 50, of Padinjarekudiyil at Zinkhona, near Thariyodu, in the district.
Jobi, 35, of Chittilappally at Thusharagiri; Jobin, 22, of Kollappadingal at Nooranamthodu; and Mithun, 19, of Pulakkudiyil at Chembukadavu in Kozhikode district escaped, the police said.
The six members from Kozhikode were staying in a resort near the reservoir. They went for fishing from Wilson’s house around 11 p.m. in two coracles tied with a rope, the police said. The coracles capsized around 11.30 a.m. near Thariyode owing to heavy rain.
Those who escaped were trapped in islets inside the reservoir. They were rescued by villagers after one of them informed a relative over mobile phone. Police, forest, and Fire and Rescue Services personnel are continuing the search late into night. Huge chunks of wood inside the reservoir and bad weather adversely affected the rescue operations.
Navy’s help
The district administration has requested the help of the Indian Navy as parts of the reservoir in the area are more than 15 metres deep.
“The team will arrive on Tuesday morning and will lead the rescue operations,” District Collector S. Suhas said.
