Four fishermen from Ponnagaram coastal village in Manamelkudi taluk in the district, who were earlier reported missing, were rescued by a joint team of officials of the Fisheries Department and the Coastal Security Group with the help of local fishermen on Friday.
U. Kumararaja, 44, U. Mohanasundaram, 42, U. Yuvaraj, 39, and B. Raj, 30, had set sail on a fibre boat on Thursday. However, they did not return to the shore.
On information, a joint team of officials of the Fisheries Department and the Coastal Security Group embarked on a search and rescue mission on a mechanised boat from Kottaipattinam harbour on Friday.
Assisting the officials were a group of 66 fishermen from Ponnagaram and Anthoniyarpuram coastal villages, who set sail in 16 country boats, sources in the Coastal Security Group said.
The rescue teams noticed the four fishermen clinging on to their capsized boat in the sea, about 10 nautical miles off the Ponnagaram coast. They were rescued and brought back to the shore and subsequently admitted to the Government Hospital, Manamelkudi, for medical examination and treatment, the sources added.
