Bhatkal: A day after a fishing boat capsized off the Tenginagundi coast in Bhatkal, claiming four lives, the body of one missing fisherman was recovered on Thursday afternoon from the shores of Honnegedde, under the jurisdiction of Jali Pattan Panchayat. The deceased has been identified as 40-year-old Ramakrishna Moger, a resident of Jali Kodi.
Search and rescue operations, which began on Wednesday evening following the incident, resumed early Thursday. Around noon, local fishermen spotted a body floating in the Arabian Sea. With the help of Coastal Security Police and local residents, the body was brought ashore and shifted to the government hospital in Bhatkal. Circle Police Inspector (CPI) Manjunath Lingaraddy from Bhatkal Rural Police Station was present at the site with his team, overseeing the recovery operation.
In a tragic twist, it was revealed that Ramakrishna had lost his son two years ago in a similar fishing accident when their boat overturned during rough sea conditions. With his death, his wife and young daughter have been left completely devastated and without support.
The fatal incident occurred around 3 PM on Wednesday when six fishermen ventured into the sea from Shirali Alvekodi beach for routine fishing. Within half an hour, their boat was struck by massive waves and overturned. While two of the fishermen managed to cling to the boat and swim back to shore, four others went missing in the rough waters. The survivors were initially taken to the government hospital in Bhatkal and later shifted to a private hospital in Kundapur for further treatment.
Responding to the tragedy, Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport, and Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister, Mankal Vaidya, visited the accident site on Thursday morning. He reviewed the ongoing search operations and extended condolences to the bereaved families. The minister also inspected the efforts being made by the Coastal Security Police and assured the affected families of government support.
Former Bhatkal MLA Sunil Naik also visited the site on Wednesday evening. Speaking with local fishermen, he expressed concern over recurring safety lapses and urged the government to immediately release ₹10 lakh in compensation to the families of the deceased. He criticized the lack of preventive measures for the safety of fishermen who, he said, “risk their lives daily just to earn a livelihood, yet receive little protection or support from the authorities.”
As of now, the search continues for the remaining three missing fishermen, with local authorities, police, the Coastal Security Force, and local fishermen actively involved in ongoing rescue operations.