All 18 fishermen of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu who were stranded in the sea as the furious Phailin cyclone struck the Odisha coast braved the rough tides and swam to safety early on Sunday, police sources said.
The fishermen were feared missing after their two mechanised boats ran out of fuel. Though a Coast Guard ship was deployed to look for them, inclement weather delayed the rescue operation.
Tamil Nadu officials got in touch with their Odisha counterparts for rescuing the fishermen. They remained in constant touch with National Disaster Response Force personnel and the Coast Guard till late on Saturday.
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On Sunday, the fishermen managed to reach the coast at Ramathura village in Jagsanpur district of Odisha. Since the village was evacuated ahead of the cyclone, there was no scope for immediate food or first aid.
On information, officials of the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department alerted the Special Relief Commissioner in Odisha and ar
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The fishermen were shifted to a hospital in Jagsanpur and their condition was said to be stable. “We are taking steps to ensure that the fishermen get proper treatment, food and other facilities. Their families in Kanyakumari have been informed of their safety,” a State government official told The Hindu .
The fishermen went into the sea in three boats about 20 days ago for deep-sea fishing. While one boat reached the shores on Friday, the other two with 18 fishermen on board got stranded, the sources added.