Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament M. Sribharat on Monday said that the Centre and the State government are working on a “war footing” to trace the six fishermen who remain missing following their boat mishap off the coast of Visakhapatnam.

​The MP’s assurance comes amidst mounting pressure as search and rescue operations enter a critical phase.

During a visit to the office of the Andhra Pradesh Mechanised Fishing Boat Operators Association, Mr. Sribharat met the families of the missing fishermen and assured that authorities would spare no effort until the status of every missing individual is confirmed.

​“The government stands firmly with the families during this difficult time,” Mr. Sribharat said. “We are closely monitoring the situation, and rescue efforts will continue,” he said.

​The search operations for the six fishermen is being carried out by multiple agencies, including the maritime and aerial units. The Indian Coast Guard has deployed two vessels, ICGS Kanaklata Barua and ICGS Veera, along with conducting helicopter sorties. Additionally, the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has also joined the operation, deploying two ships and two aircraft—a Sea King helicopter and an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).

Meanwhile, the tragedy has sparked a heated political debate. Former MLA Vasupalli Ganesh addressing the media on Monday, alleged a 20-hour delay in the initial response.

​Mr. Ganesh criticised the government’s preparedness, claiming that warnings from the weather department regarding rough seas on July 3 and 4 were not adequately communicated to the fishing community. He further alleged an administrative collapse, citing a lack of coordination between the Fisheries Department and local leadership during the crucial early hours of the crisis.

Responding to these concerns, Mr. Sribharat acknowledged the urgency of the situation and assured committment to addressing systemic safety concerns. He stated that the government plans to review and strengthen safety protocols for fishermen to prevent such incidents in the future.

​As of Monday evening, despite the deployment of advanced surveillance and aerial assets, the strong winds and sea swells continue to pose significant challenges to the search units. Officials have designated a single point of contact to ensure the families receive regular, verified updates as the operation progresses.

 

Fishermen in Chennai have urged the Tamil Nadu government to train them in tuna gill-net fishing and provide loans for the purchase of specialised boats and nets.

If the tuna fishing harbour constructed at a cost of ₹200 crore at Tiruvottiyur Kuppam is to be put to use, fishermen must have the skills to catch quality tuna suitable for export, said M.D. Dayalan of the Indian Fishermen Association.

“In Tamil Nadu, only fishermen from areas near Kanniyakumari know how to catch tuna in the deep sea. If the fish caught is to be exported, it needs to be processed immediately, which means the boats must have specialised storage facilities. Loans were provided to fishermen in the south to help them buy large boats and encourage them to venture into the deep sea. We need similar support here. The livelihoods of fishermen using the nearby Kasimedu harbour will then see a marked improvement,” said community leader M.E. Raghupathi.

Harbour remains locked

The harbour, which was envisaged as far back as 2015, was opened for use some time ago but is currently under lock and key.

“Earlier, fishermen from Tiruvottiyur Kuppam used to keep their boats at the harbour, but they no longer do so. The breakwaters do not function properly and allow waves to enter the harbour area, causing boats to collide with each other and sustain damage. We also do not keep our boats there as the waters are unsafe,” said Joseph, a fisherman from another village.

Fishermen said that the harbour lacks facilities such as pre-processing, where the innards are removed, post-processing, and waste management.

“Only if the harbour is maintained well and equipped with world-class facilities will we be able to obtain certification for exports. The bane of the Kasimedu Fishing Harbour is the lack of cleanliness. Toilets and drinking water facilities have also not been provided adequately,” said a fisheries industry expert.