Fisherman rescued after 36-hour ordeal

Kochi: A fisherman who went missing at sea for over 36 hours was rescued by Coast Guard in a coordinated maritime search and rescue (M-SAR) operation off Kerala coast on Wednesday.The rescued fisherman was identified as Ranjumoni Sonowal, 40, a crew member of mechanised fishing vessel Zion, registered in Tamil Nadu. He went missing on Monday night while the vessel was returning from fishing operations. The incident occurred nearly 27km off the coast of Kochi, where the fisherman was found drifting without food or water. He was rescued by Coast Guard Ship Arnvesh and shifted to the vessel's medical room for immediate care. Coast Guard officials said he was severely dehydrated and suffering from hypothermia when found. After being stabilised, he was provided further medical attention and later shifted to a hospital for detailed examination and treatment. Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai and Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC), Kochi, received information about the missing fisherman on Tuesday and immediately launched a search operation. An Coast Guard ship on patrol was diverted to the area and an aircraft sortie was deployed to intensify the search. The fisherman was finally located and rescued around 11.45am. Officials said the swift and coordinated response ensured his safe recovery.