9 fishermen rescued from sea amid rough weather

Tirupati : Giving much relief to their families, nine fishermen stranded at sea due to an engine failure were rescued and brought safely to Krishnapatnam Port on Wednesday. The successful operation was the result of coordinated efforts between Tirupati district administration and Adani Krishnapatnam Port Limited (AKPL).

The incident occurred as a low-pressure system in the southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression, prompting adverse weather conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued warnings of moderate to heavy rainfall from November 26 to 28 and advised fishermen to stay ashore. Despite the caution, a group of fishermen from Nellore district ventured out in a mechanized boat, which later broke down approximately 14 kilometers off the coast near Vadapalem and YT Kuppam in Vakadu Mandal.

On receiving information about the stranded vessel, identified as IND TN 02 MM2588, Tirupati district Collector Dr S Venkateswar promptly initiated a rescue operation. Collaborating with senior officials and AKPL authorities, a tugboat, Dol 36, was deployed to the site. Led by Capt Bibhu Sahoo, the AKPL Marine team faced rough seas and high winds during the 12-hour operation, ultimately bringing the fishermen and their vessel to safety.

The rescued fishermen, all hailing from Patapalem and Chennarayunipalem villages in Bogole Mandal, were identified as Ch Ramesh, K Yedukondalu, K Chittibabu, K Tirupati, V Hari Babu, Y Aravandi, K Venkata Ramanaiah, Ch Sivaji and A Tirupati. They expressed heartfelt gratitude to the state government, district officials and AKPL for their swift and coordinated efforts.

AKPL CEO Jagdish Patel and COO Rajan Babu praised the marine rescue team for their dedication in carrying out the operation under challenging conditions. The rescue was monitored by the Collector’s office, the Ministry of Home Affairs and DG Shipping. The AKPL medical team later confirmed the fishermen were in good health and provided them with food and accommodation to aid their recovery.