They feared for their lives: Kin in Chennai recall final call with fishers killed by Cyclone Murasu

CHENNAI: Around 10.30 pm on Monday, a day before Cyclone Murasu made landfall, Balan received a phone call from his brother Kuppan (48), one of the nine fishermen who had gone for fishing from Kasimedu.

"He said strong winds and heavy rain had damaged their boat and that its engine had stopped working. They even contacted nearby boats seeking rescue," recalled Balan. Soon afterwards, before help could come, their boat capsized after being caught in Cyclone Murasu.

The bodies of seven of the nine missing fishermen have been found, while the whereabouts of the remaining two, Rajesh of Thiruchinankuppam and Narayanan of Samiyarpettai in Cuddalore district, remain unknown. Five bodies were handed over to their families in Kasimedu on Friday, while two more are being brought from Andhra Pradesh.

The fishermen had also contacted the boat owner, Selvalagan, and informed him about the strong winds and engine failure, Balan said. "Now, our family cannot even see his face," he said. He alleged that the fishing boat did not have the required permit or insurance and that four of the nine fishermen were new to the profession.

The bodies that were recovered and brought to Kasimedu were identified as Mohan (47) and Pakkirisamy alias Suriya (49) of Kasimedu; Murugan (48) of Vinayagapuram; and Kuppusamy (57) of Othavadai and Kuppan (48) of Pallavan Nagar.

Relatives of Pakkirisamy alias Suriya (49), who was the boat's driver, said he had informed the boat owner about the strong winds, engine failure and seawater entering the boat's hull. He had also sought help for their rescue.

Suriya had spoken to his wife, Parvathi, but did not reveal the seriousness of the situation. Instead, he assured her that he would return home to celebrate Deepavali with the family, his relatives said.

The families of the deceased accused the boat owner and the Indian Coast Guard of failing to ensure the fishermen's safety, alleging that timely intervention could have saved their lives.

Fisheries Department Director K Vijayakarthikeyan said the government had ordered search and rescue operations as soon as it learnt about the fishermen's disappearance. The Coast Guard had conducted two helicopter patrols and deployed personnel for search operations, he said, adding that the department had records and evidence of the operations.

However, the families disputed the government's claims, maintaining that adequate and timely action could have ensured the safe rescue of the fishermen.

Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister A Srinath and department officials visited the bereaved families, paid their respects and handed over compensation cheques.

On Thursday, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had announced a solatium of Rs 7 lakh each to the families of fishermen whose bodies were found along the Andhra Pradesh coast.

Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, Vijay said he has directed officials to expedite search operations to trace the remaining missing fishermen. "Of the total solatium of Rs 7 lakh, Rs 2 lakh will be provided immediately. The bodies will be brought back to Tamil Nadu at the government's expense," he said.