Four fishermen who ventured into the Vembanad lake near Pukkaad in Ernakulam district of Kerala were reported missing after their country boats capsized in the early hours of Wednesday. While three are still missing, the fourth fisherman managed to swim ashore, police said.
The missing persons have been identified as 57-year-old KS Sajeevan of Pachalam, 54-year-old Sidharthan of Elamkunnapuzha and 45-year-old Santhosh of Nayarambalam. The fourth person identified as Saaju T S, from Karuthedath managed to escape by holding on to a tree trunk, reported Times of India.
Police as well as Fire & Rescue officials have launched operations to rescue the three fishermen who went missing after their boats sank due to heavy rains and winds in the lake. The boats capsized at around 2 am when the men ventured into the lake to collect the fish they had trapped using nets.
Due to strong winds and heavy rains, both their country made boats capsized a few kilometres away from the shore, but strong undercurrents worsened the situation for the men on the capsized boats, informed Fire Force officials.
The incident came to light only after the fourth fisherman Saaju alerted locals and officials after managing to swim ashore. Officials said Saaju managed to hold on to a wooden trunk and stay afloat. He was able to swim ashore only after winds subsided.
Search operations for the three missing men continued throughout Wednesday with officials deploying scuba divers and organising search parties along the shore.
Meanwhile, shutters of various dams in the rivers flowing through Ernakulam district have been opened after catchment areas received heavy rains on Tuesday night.
Ernakulam district information officials said 15 shutters of the Bhoothathankettu barrage have been opened and it may cause a rise in water level in the Periyar.
Water level in rivers including Muvattupuzha, Thodupuzha, Kaliyar and Kothamangalam may also increase due to the opening of shutters of Malankara dam, they said.
(With PTI inputs)