KANYAKUMARI: Three fishermen were reportedly missing, while 13 others rescued after their mechanized fishing boat capsized in mid-sea off Kanyakumari coast late on Thursday night.

Fisheries department officials said here on Friday that a group of 16 fishermen had ventured into the sea for routine fishing from Colachel fishing harbour in Kanyakumari district on Monday.

When they were fishing, 38 nautical miles off the Kanyakumari coast, a series of huge tidal waves hit the boat. The boat subsequently drowned and all the fishers on board were thrown into the sea.

The fishermen of a few other boats, who were also engaged in fishing activities in the vicinity, rescued 13 fishermen of the sunken boat. The rescued fishermen were being brought to the shore.

Based on a complaint from the fishermen, the fisheries department officials sought the assistance of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Indian Navy to search for the missing three persons. A salvage team comprising local fishermen also set sail into the sea in search of the missing fishermen.