R. Rostan, a 23-year-old fisherman is feared drowned after he went missing after falling into the sea while anchoring the fishing vessel at Pamban on Thursday.
Fishermen and Marine police said Rostan, hailing from Rochmanagar at Kannirajapuram, after returning to the shore after fishing, went alone again to anchor the vessel south off Pamban when he fell into the sea.
Fishermen in the nearby area saw him falling but before they could reach the spot and rescue him, he went missing, they said adding that the currents were strong when the fisherman fell into the sea.
Local fishermen, joined by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), launched search operations but the fisherman could not be traced till the evening.
INS Parundu, the Indian Naval Air Station, also launched aerial search in vain, they said.
Thanking the Coast Guard and INS Parundu for joining the fishermen in the search operation, Traditional Fishermen Federation Coordinator S Chinnathambi said the fishermen proposed to resume search operation early on Friday morning.
The ICG and INS Parundu would also resume search on Friday, officials said.
Questioned
Meanwhile, the Mandapam Station of ICG, during patrolling a couple of day ago, found 13 persons, including five women, at Kurusadai island.
The ICG alerted the Forest department and Marine police after detaining five of them.
Interrogation by the Marine police of the Coastal Security Group revealed that they were local fishermen staying in the prohibited island for the purpose of fishing. After finding that four of them did not have any identity, the Marine police released them after local fishermen leaders identified them.
The Marine police had questioned them in the presence of officials from the Fisheries department and advised the fishermen to carry identity cards while setting out for fishing.
