NAGERCOIL
Twenty-three fishermen who got stranded on high seas as Cyclone Ockhi hit Kanniyakumari were rescued by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship Samar on Sunday.
The victims, hailing from Thoothur, who set out to the sea in a couple of boats, were spotted 80 nautical miles northwest of Cheplet Island at 7.50 a.m. during a search and rescue operation. They were being brought to the shore, ICG sources told The Hindu .
Meanwhile, seven fishermen – five from Chinnathurai and two from Thoothur – joined the search and rescue operation being conducted by the ICG personnel to trace the missing fishermen. The fishermen boarded ICG Ship ‘Vaibhav’ that sailed off Thoothukudi coast at 10 a.m., sources said.
A fleet of nine ICG ships and three Dornier aircraft were being involved in the operation, sources added.
