Fishermen missing from Tharuvaikulam from Thoothukudi district have all been traced and found to be safe, two weeks after they ventured out to sea. The 39 fishermen who were in five boats had left for deep sea fishing before a cyclone warning was announced and it was suspected that they were trapped in rough waters.
However, Thoothukudi MP and DMK leader Kanimozhi confirmed to TNM that authorities have communicated with all five boats. While four boats reached their home towns on Friday, one more missing boat has reached Minicoy island in Lakshadweep.
All the missing fishermen from Tharuvaikulam have returned safely. I would like to thank the @HMOIndia , the coast guard who helped the missing boat of fishermen reach Minika island safley and the district collector of tuticorin who was continuously following up.
— Kanimozhi (கனிமொழி) (@KanimozhiDMK) November 1, 2019
Meanwhile, the Kanyakumari Collector Prashant M Wadnere told TNM, that the five boats missing from his district are yet to be traced. According to the district administration, over five boats and 60-65 fishermen have not returned home. These boats left coastal villages between October 14 and October 16.
The Collector had told TNM on Friday that the district administration was in touch with the Fisheries department and they were in turn co-ordinating with the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. He said that even Oman Coast Guard had been alerted. The Coast Guard meanwhile has deployed two vessels to find the missing fishermen.
When TNM contacted the Coast guard they maintained that nine boats were yet to come back to shore, of which they have communicated with six and told them to return. Three boats continue to remain incommunicable.
"We had broadcasted warnings about the Kiyar cyclone but we are not sure if it reached them," said the Collector.
Families of the missing fishermen however alleged that the warnings came too late.
35-year-old Jency whose husband Thiyagu left to the sea on October 14, says the first warning regarding the cyclone only came on October 23.
"My husband left with three of my elder brothers and seven others from the neighbourhood," she says. "We are praying everyday for their return. If they knew a cyclone was brewing, they would have never gone.".