Sevan missing Konaseema fishermen found safe off West Bengal coast

Agriculture Minister K. Atchnnaidu interacting with the family members of missing fishermen at Odalarevu in Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema district. | Photo Credit: File Photo The seven fishermen from Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema district in Andhra Pradesh, who went missing in the sea on August 7, were found safe near Shankarpur fishing harbour off West Bengal coast on Wednesday.Contact with the fishermen was lost on August 7 after they went deep-sea fishing off the Andhra coast in search of tuna. They set sail into the sea on a mechanised boat from Odalrevu fish landing point.On Wednesday afternoon, local fishermen found the boat with the missing fishermen on board near the Shankarpur fishing harbour.Later, they gave a cellphone to the missing fishermen, who spoke to their family members in Andhra Pradesh, confirming that they were safe. The fishermen said that they were stranded at sea after the boat engine developed a technical snag.The fishermen on board the missing boat have been identified as Kopanathi Ramakrishna, 49, of Komarigiri village; Kollati Yesudasu, 49, of Bendamuri Lanka; Palepu Santa Rao, 26, and Kollati Srinubabu, 37, of Odalarevu village; Karri Rambabu, 46, of Komarigiripatnam in Allavaram mandal. The remaining fishermen are Sangani Tatarao, 60, of Katrenikona mandal and Kataadi Satish Kumar of I. Polavaram mandal.Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar was alerted by the families of the missing fishermen. The district administration is in touch with the West Bengal authorities to ensure the safe return of the fishermen.A team of Fisheries Department officials have left for West Bengal to bring the missing fishermen back home, the Collector said.“The family members of the missing fishermen alerted the district administration that the missing fishermen had been traced to West Bengal. The boat drifted towards the West Bengal coast after the engine developed a technical glitch,” District Joint Director (Fisheries) K. Karunakar told The Hindu.In an official release, Agriculture Minister and Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema District In-charge Minister K. Atchannaidu said, “We have confirmed the presence of the missing fishermen who were facilitated to speak to their families.”Indian Navy and Coast Guard had been deployed for the search operation since August 17. Mr. Atchannaidu thanked the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard for their timely response. Published - August 26, 2026 07:56 pm IST