Fishing boat sinks off Kundapur–Gangolli coast; Five fishermen rescued

Kundapur: A fishing boat that had set out from Malpe harbour sank in the sea between Kundapur and Gangolli, but all five fishermen on board were rescued safely in a timely operation.

According to reports, the boat named ‘Sri Durgaparameshwari’ had left Malpe harbour on the night of February 23 for fishing. On February 24, while at sea, the lower portion of the boat reportedly struck a hard object. Soon after, water began entering near the engine.

As the water level increased, the engine stopped functioning and the boat went out of control.

The fishermen on board Prakash, Ranjith, Raghavendra, Rama and Srinivasa all said to be natives of Kumta, tried to remove the water but were unsuccessful. Considering the seriousness of the situation, fishermen from another boat named ‘Sri Krishna’ from Malpe harbour, along with Coast Guard personnel, reached the spot and rescued all five men safely.

Later, the rescue boat tied the damaged vessel with a rope and attempted to tow it towards Gangolli harbour for about 8 to 9 nautical miles. However, due to strong winds and rough sea conditions, the rope snapped and the boat eventually sank completely.

Boat owner Nagaraj Pattan, a resident of Kemmannu, has stated in his complaint that the estimated financial loss is around Rs 60 to 65 lakh. A case has been registered at the Gangolli Coastal Security Police Station and further investigation is under way.