Hyderabad: Seven fishermen stranded off the Juvvaladinne coast after their boat developed an engine snag were rescued in a coordinated operation involving the Fisheries Department, Marine Police and local fishermen, officials said.
The fishermen had set out from Juvvaladinne fishing harbour but decided to return after a change in weather conditions. Their boat developed a technical snag about 500 metres from the harbour entrance, leaving them stranded.
Surveillance staff at the harbour spotted the distressed vessel and alerted the authorities. Rescue teams initially struggled to reach the boat due to rough seas and strong waves. The situation worsened when the vessel's anchor rope snapped, leaving it adrift towards Pathakadalipalem village.
The teams tracked the drifting boat and eventually brought it to the shore at Pathakadalipalem. All seven fishermen were rescued unharmed.
District Collector Himanshu Shukla commended the Fisheries Department, Marine Police, surveillance staff and local fishermen for their prompt response. (With inputs from media reports)