Four fishermen, who set out for fishing on Monday had a miraculous escape after they fell into the sea when their fishing vessel sunk while fishing on the high seas due to rough sea, triggered by high velocity wind. They were rescued by fellow fishermen.
More than 500 fishermen, who had ventured into the sea for fishing in about 127 fishing vessels, were fishing on the high seas on Monday night near Katchatheevu when a fishing vessel (IND TN 10 MM 666), hit by rough sea, started sinking. The four fishermen, on board, jumped into the sea in a bid to escape.
As they were struggling for life, fellow fishermen, who were fishing in the area, rushed to the spot and rescued them. The rescued fishermen were identified as Alex, 39, Kumar, 35, John Gopi, 34 and Nagooran, 45. They hailed from Keezhakadu and Olaikuda in Rameswaram island. They were brought to the Rameswaram fishing jetty on Monday night itself.
Selvam, 55 one of the four fishermen who rescued their colleagues, said they were fishing on the high seas about one nautical mile away when they received distress call from the four fishermen that their boat was sinking and sought assistance. Before they reached the spot, the boat sunk and the fishermen were in the sea, he said.
Two from the rescue team jumped into the sea and rescued two fishermen while two others were lifted with the help of rope, he said.
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao congratulated the four fishermen - Selvam, Selvaraj, 56, Venice, 30 and Kennedy, 56 who rescued the four fishermen by presenting them shawls at the Collectorate on Tuesday evening. He received the rescued fishermen and presented them shawls.
