19 fishermen rescued, 2,100 fishing boats docked: ICG

Nineteen fishermen have been rescued and 2,100 fishing boats docked at various ports on the west coast in the Arabian Sea, according to Indian Coast Guard (ICG) officials on Saturday.

The ICG has stepped up efforts for search and rescue of fishermen stranded in the wake of Cyclone Kyarr. "We have rescued 19 fishermen and escorted over 2,100 fishing boats to safety at various ports on the West Coast," said a senior official.

The cyclone Kyarr, centred over the east-central Arabian Sea, is about 200 km to the west of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, 310 km southwest of Mumbai and 1,870 km southeast of Salalah in Oman.

The ICG has been issuing weather warnings since October 18 and requesting fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea and return if already there.

"Close coordination with fisheries association/authorities, coastal security group, marine police and others is being maintained to account the stranded fishing boats and return them to safety," it said in a statement.

Coast Guard ships have been deployed for locating fishing boats and helping stranded fisherman in affected and impact areas of the cyclone.

"Four Coast Guard Dorniers have been tasked with area scan and to locate stranded fishing boats. Two ICG Helo sorties have been augmented for area scan and to locate stranded fishing boats," sais a senior Coast Guard officer.

"Five hundrend boats of Gujarat have taken shelter at Rajapuri in Maharashtra, 197 of Maharashtra at Ratnagiri, 700 of other states at Goa, Karwar, Udupi and New Mangalore and 80 of Kerala in Maharashtra," it said.

( With inputs from IANS )