UDUPI, July 4: ‘Manju Matha’, a Malpe-registered gillnet fishing boat that had partially submerged in the Arabian Sea after springing a leak, drifted ashore at Ucchila beach in Ermalu Bada village on Friday evening. The area falls under the jurisdictional limits of the Hejamady Coastal Security Police (CSP) station.

The fishing vessel had ventured into the Arabian Sea from the Malpe fishing harbour on the morning of June 29. By afternoon, the vessel began taking in water rapidly due to a structural leak at the bottom amid rough sea conditions and turbulent waves. As the situation escalated beyond control, the crew sent out distress signals, prompting a swift search and rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard. Deployed aboard the interceptor vessel Sachet, Coast Guard personnel used remote-operated lifesaving devices (lifebuoys) to safely rescue all six fishermen on board. However, since the battered vessel could not be salvaged or towed at that moment, it was left adrift in the open sea.

The rescued fishermen were subsequently brought to the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) premises, where they received immediate medical treatment. Officers from the CSP station, the Fisheries Department, the Immigration Department, and the local police took custody of the fishermen to verify their credentials. The documentation check confirmed that four of the rescued fishermen belong to Tamil Nadu, while the remaining two are natives of Kerala.

Violation of Fishing Ban: Recommendation for License Cancellation:

Initial inquiries revealed that the boat had ventured out into the sea in direct violation of the mandatory seasonal fishing ban imposed by the district administration. Consequently, the Coastal Security Police have submitted a comprehensive non-compliance report to the Fisheries Department, recommending stringent legal action against the boat owner, alongside the immediate cancellation of the vessel’s registration and fishing license.

The abandoned boat eventually drifted onto the shores of Ucchila beach at around 6:15 PM on Friday. Upon receiving alerts from locals, a team from the Hejamady CSP station—comprising Head Constable Abdul Razak, CPC Praveen, KND Rajesh, and Theertha—rushed to the spot. With the active assistance of local fishermen and members of the public, the team safely pulled the damaged vessel onto the dry shore.

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