Coast Guard, Navy rescue nine fishermen off Rameswaram

<p class="p1">Nine fishermen were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard and Navy in a joint operation off the coast of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu yesterday, said an official statement.</p>
<p class="p1">According to the statement, the Coast Guard on receipt of information about a capsized boat near Manali island off Rameswaram coast reached to Indian Navy for the rescue of the fishermen.</p>
<p class="p1">The Indian Navy dispatched a helicopter from Indian Naval Station Parundu in Ramanathapuram district for search and rescue of the fishermen.</p>
<p class="p1">The helicopter sighted the fishing trawler on a coral reef about eight miles from the coast. The boat was found sinking fast due to possible damage to the hull and bad sea conditions.</p>
<p class="p1">Four of the nine fishermen were rescued by the navy helicopter through winching and taken to Mandapam and handed over to the Coast Guard.</p>
<p class="p1">The remaining five fishermen were rescued by a fishing boat that reached the area subsequently.</p>.