The sole survivor of a fishing boat tragedy off the Visakhapatnam coast, Andhra Pradesh, has recounted the harrowing ordeal that claimed the lives of at least one fisherman and left six others missing in the Bay of Bengal after their vessel capsized on 4 July 2025. Survivor Kari Chinna, who owned the ill-fated boat, said all seven crew members were aboard when the vessel overturned roughly 10 nautical miles from shore.

Survivor's Account

'There were seven of us on board the fishing boat. We had gone about 29 nautical miles off the coast for fishing and were returning to shore after finishing our work. When we were around 10 nautical miles from the coast, the boat suddenly capsized,' Chinna said.

He added that one fisherman died instantly when the vessel overturned. The remaining six clung to the upturned hull for nearly nine hours. 'As it gradually began to sink, we realised we could no longer rely on it and had to swim to save ourselves,' he said. Chinna survived a further 18 hours in open water before being rescued by the crew of a Panama-flagged merchant vessel, MV Universe Wealthy, at around 9 am on Sunday, 6 July.

Rescue and Medical Care

The Indian Navy airlifted Chinna from the merchant vessel to INS Dega on Monday evening. He was subsequently transferred to KIMS ICON Hospital, where doctors confirmed his condition remains stable. According to medical staff, Chinna reported that the boat capsized at approximately 3.30 pm on 4 July after developing a mechanical failure during the return journey.

Search Operation Called Off

Despite a four-day search-and-rescue operation involving the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, authorities on Tuesday called off the effort to locate the six missing fishermen. The decision effectively ended hopes of finding the men alive. The fishermen had originally set out on 1 July and were expected back by the afternoon of 4 July, but their families grew alarmed when sea conditions deteriorated due to a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

When the boat did not return and the crew's mobile phones were found switched off, family members alerted the Coast Guard and Marine Police, triggering the multi-agency search. Notably, the families had maintained phone contact with the fishermen until shortly before the capsize, making the sudden silence all the more distressing.

Government Assistance and Safety Concerns

Following the decision to end rescue efforts, the Andhra Pradesh government announced financial assistance of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the six missing fishermen. A pall of grief has descended on the affected households, who had held out hope until the search was formally abandoned.

The tragedy has reignited concerns about fishing safety protocols along the Andhra Pradesh coastline, particularly during periods of adverse weather. Fishing communities in the region have long flagged the absence of real-time weather alert systems accessible to small-boat operators venturing far offshore. Authorities are yet to announce any formal safety review in the wake of this incident.