Cyclone Ockhi: Missing boat with 4 fishermen on board still untracable

MUMBAI: One boat with four fishermen on board has gone missing and the authorities cannot establish contact with it due to the rough sea conditions owning to the cyclone Ockhi.
Medha Gadgil, the additional chief secretary (relief and rehabilitation) said that they received the warning about the cyclone on December 2 and they started sending out alerts asking all the boats to return to the shore.
"At that time there were 2606 ships off the Maharashtra coast. After our efforts 2605 ships returned to the shore safely. There is only one boat, which was last seen off the Raigad coast which is still missing," said Gadgil.
Gadgil said that 142 boats belonging to fishermen from outside the state have taken refuge along the Konkan coast. In these boats there were 2285 fishermen who were stranded and have been rescued by the coastal agencies and brought to the Maharashtra shore.
"We will take care of all their needs and also provide them the required diesel will be given to them, once the sea is normal for them to sail," said Chandrakant Patil, minister of the department.
Patil said that there has not been a single death across the state due to the cyclone.
Rajesh Mangela, resource person, National Fish Workers Forum said the cyclone warnings sent well in time ensured fishing boats could return to the nearest shore.
“The government has already got in touch with us to ascertain the losses. It will take sometime to account the losses,” he said.
Mangela said not all boats are out in sea at the same time. But those who were out at sea will have to pay daily wages while the boat is on the coast, there is maintenance cost as well, he said.
“Also, no fishing for at least a week to ten days would affect many more fishermen who would have planned to venture out during this period. It is a natural calamity and it is expected that the government will compensate the fishermen,” he said.