CHENNAI: The end of the fishing ban period started with tragedy after two fishermen died when their boat sank off Ramanathapuram coast, while another is still missing.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, seasonal fishing ban that was in force along Tamil Nadu coast for 61 days from April 15 ended on June 14. Thousands of fishermen ventured into the sea.

Among them were five fishermen from Ramanathapuram, who set off from Mandapam fishing harbour. Their hopes to net a handsome catch soon turned into tragedy after their boat sank, sending them into the water.

Two of them were rescued by another boat, but the other three had drowned by then. The fellow fishermen recovered the bodies of two of them, identified as Arokkiyam and Farakatulla.

A search is on to recover the body of the third fisherman, said the report.