Two fishermen were injured and five others narrowly escaped death after their boat capsized near the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, 16 July, according to police. The accident, caused by rough sea conditions, adds to a grim pattern of maritime mishaps off the Visakhapatnam coast in recent weeks.

How the Accident Unfolded

The fishing boat overturned in turbulent waters close to the harbour, trapping the crew underneath. The seven fishermen managed to push the vessel aside and cling to nearby boulders until marine police arrived and pulled them to safety. Two of the seven — Thatha Rao and Akash — sustained injuries and were admitted to King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam.

The remaining five escaped without serious physical harm, though the ordeal has left the group in financial distress. The fishermen said their boat, valued at ₹2.5 lakh, and fishing equipment worth ₹2 lakh were completely destroyed. They have appealed to the government for financial assistance to help restore their livelihood.

A Coast Already Scarred by Recent Tragedy

The incident comes less than a fortnight after a far deadlier capsize off the same coast. On 4 July, a mechanised fishing vessel carrying seven fisherfolk went down approximately 10 nautical miles off the Gangavaram coast in Visakhapatnam. The crew had set out on 1 July and the boat capsized while they were returning to shore.

Only one survivor was rescued — by the crew of a passing merchant vessel — and brought ashore on 6 July. A four-day search-and-rescue operation involving the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard failed to locate the remaining six, and the operation was called off on 8 July. The six fishermen are presumed dead. The state government subsequently disbursed an ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh each to their families.

Political Row Over Government Response

The July 4 capsize has triggered a sharp political confrontation. YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who visited the bereaved families, squarely blamed the coalition government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for the deaths, alleging official negligence.

Reddy claimed that family members repeatedly contacted the district Collector and other officials with SOS messages but received no response. 'Had there been one, the other fishermen could have been rescued,' he said. He demanded compensation of ₹1 crore each for the families of the six deceased — ten times the ex-gratia already announced — calling the government's reaction inadequate given the proximity of the capsize to Gangavaram Port.

Fishermen's Vulnerability and What Comes Next

Visakhapatnam's fishing community remains exposed to rough monsoon seas with limited real-time maritime safety infrastructure. The back-to-back incidents have renewed calls for better distress-communication systems and faster Coast Guard response protocols. Whether Thursday's accident prompts a formal government review of maritime safety along the Andhra coast remains to be seen.