Daijiworld Media Network – Bhatkal

Bhatkal, Aug 3: A tragic boat mishap off the coast of Alvekodi in Shirali, Bhatkal taluk, has claimed the lives of at least two fishermen, while the families of two others remain in distress as search efforts continue with no trace of them yet.

On Tuesday, a group of six fishermen set out for deep-sea fishing in a small 'Pathi' boat from the Tenginagundi port. The group included Ramakrishna Mogera from Jalikodi, Ganesh Manjunath Mogera from Mungri Mane in Alvekodi, Satish Timmapa Mogera from Sadbhavi in Alvekodi, Nishchay Mogera from the Murdeshwar Kannada School vicinity, and two others.

While at sea near Alvekodi-Tenginagundi, their boat capsized due to powerful waves in the Arabian Sea around noon on Tuesday, leading to all six falling overboard. Fortunately, two managed to swim ashore safely. However, the other four went missing.

On Thursday afternoon, the body of Ramakrishna Mogera was discovered on the Heble Honnegadde beach. On Saturday, the body of Ganesh Manjunath Mogera was also found, having drifted approximately 12 nautical miles to Gangolli beach near Kundapur. The whereabouts of the remaining two, Satish Timmapa Mogera and Nishchay Mogera, remain unknown.

Search operations have been intensified by local fishermen, the Coastal Security Police, Coastal Guard personnel, and other authorities. Assistant Commissioner Kavya Rani, Bhatkal Tahsildar Nagendra Kolashetti, and senior officials visited Alvekodi port to monitor the situation and gather updates.

The lack of clues about the missing fishermen has plunged their families into deep sorrow. The incident has shaken the entire fishing community in the region, especially as it comes close on the heels of another tragic boat accident off Gangolli.

Ministerial visit:

Keenly following the developments, Karnataka’s Fisheries Minister Mankal Vaidya rushed to the site from Bengaluru upon hearing the news. He met with the concerned families and assured them that all possible measures were being taken to locate the missing individuals. He also directed the departments involved to intensify the search operations.

Gangolli body recovery:

The body of Ganesh Manjunath Mogera was found in the sea near Gangolli in Kundapur on Saturday, approximately 12 nautical miles from the site of the tragedy. His remains were brought to the government hospital in Bhatkal for post-mortem before being handed over to his grieving family.

Despite five days passing since the incident, the two fishermen—Satish Timmapa Mogera and Nishchay Mogera—are still unaccounted for. On Saturday, extensive search operations were conducted using drone surveillance in multiple locations. Even the professional team from Malpe, led by Eshwar, arrived in Alvekodi to assist in the efforts.

Director of the fisheries department, Dinesh Kallera, also visited Alvekodi and held discussions with local fisher leaders and members of the Malpe team to coordinate the next steps in the ongoing rescue and recovery mission.

The Alvekodi boat tragedy has cast a shadow over the fishing community, with families and colleagues holding on to hope even as efforts continue.