Malpe: 2 survived and 4 missing from the sunk fishing boat

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Malpe, 13 August 2011: A boat went for fishing, sank in the sea and among the fishermen 4 are missing and 2 swam to shore and survived. The missing are identified as Mahadeva (28), Ramachandra (60), Damodara (40) and Ramesh Ganapathi Harikantha (19) all are the residents of Manki Grama, Honnavara Taluk, North Kenara district. The 2 fishermen who swam to shore and survived are Panduranga Kunder and Manjunatha the residents of Padukare, Baindoor, Kundapura Taluk.

 

 
With the fishing boat “Thirumala” from Malpe owned by Pushpa Shashidhara, the 6 fishermen left Malpe Port for fishing on Friday early morning at 2.00 am. While they travelled about 15 minutes heavy wind started blowing from the opposite direction of boat. Then the boat lost control of the fishermen and hit the rock. From this impact the boat cracked and the sea water forcefully flushed into the boat. The fishermen made every effort to stop the water coming in, but the boat began to sink in the water.
 
Immediately all the fishermen jumped into the water. Among those fishermen Panduranga and Manjunatha of Udupi district swam with difficulty amongst the sea water tides and reached to Malpe shore. But the remaining 4 fishermen from North Kennara district went missing in the sea. It is assumed that they must have been drowned in the sea.
 
Until Friday evening there was no clue of the missing fishermen, so the chances of their survival is very remote. Malpe Police, Fishermen and sea swimming experts searched through the shore but there was no use. The boat also is completely sunk and the boat owner had lakhs of rupees worth loss.