Three fishermen hailing from Kanniyakumari district had reportedly drowned in the sea near Saudi Arabia, an Inspector of Police attached to Coastal Security Group (CSG) said in Nagercoil on Wednesday.
The fishermen were engaged in fishing for a Saudi-based sponsor when their mechanised boat was hit by an unknown merchant vessel, the official said. As a result of the collision, the mechanized boat toppled into the sea near Saudi Arabia on the midnight of March 21, 2017 and the three fishermen, along with an African national, fell into sea. While the African national was rescued by another boat, all the three fishermen drowned, the official said.
The body of S. Joseph Sugandan (53) of Kovalam had been fished out and the Saudi government has launched an aerial search to find out the other two fishermen — D. George Antony (40) of Kesavaputhenthurai and P. Arul Nevil (28) of Rajakkamangalamthurai, the official added.
Assistant Director of Fisheries Department Rupert Jothi said that the district administration has informed the State and Central governments to take necessary action to bring back the fisherman’s body and intensify the search operations to find out the other two fishermen.
