Chennai: Chief Minister Vijay, who has expressed condolences over the disappearance of the fishermen who went out to sea for fishing from the Chennai fishing harbor and were recovered as bodies in the Andhra sea area after their boat engine broke down, has ordered financial assistance for their families.
In a statement issued by Chief Minister Vijay regarding this, “On October 29, from the Chennai fishing harbour, nine fishermen — K. Pakkirisamy alias Surya (49), M. Kuppan (48), S. Mohan (47), K. Rajesh (52), A. Murugan (48), L. Kuppusamy (58), C. Vijayakanth (44), A. Aravind (40), and M. Narayanan (57) — who had gone to sea in a mechanized boat for fishing, were safely sheltered at the Nizampatnam fishing harbour in Andhra Pradesh due to the cyclone and weather warning issued by the Tamil Nadu Department of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare.
In this situation, on the night of November 2, it was reported that the boat had headed toward Ramayapatinam port and that its engine had failed in the middle of the sea; this was conveyed on the early morning of November 3 via wireless communication by the fishermen on the missing boat to the fishermen on another mechanized boat.
In this situation, since no communication was received from the missing boat and no information was known about their whereabouts, the Tamil Nadu Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department was instructed to carry out search operations using Chennai fishing harbor fishing boats, Andhra Pradesh state fishing boats, and Indian Coast Guard vessels, and to coordinate with Andhra Pradesh state authorities and the families of the missing fishermen to ascertain the condition of the missing fishermen.
At this time, I was deeply saddened and distressed to learn the tragic news that the bodies of fishermen Mohan, Murugan, and Vijayakanth had been recovered and identified on the coast of Gothapatnam in Prakasam district of Andhra state.
Furthermore, I have instructed that the process of identifying the two recovered bodies and the search for the remaining missing fishermen be expedited.
I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families and relatives grieving the fishermen who lost their lives in this incident, and I have ordered that relief assistance of Rs. 7 lakh each be provided to their families, with Rs. 2 lakh each to be given immediately, and that arrangements be made to bring their bodies to Tamil Nadu at government expense and hand them over to their families,” he said.
