In a dramatic rescue operation near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, a fishing boat faced a massive fire today after a gas cylinder leak left the fishermen trapped. The quick actions of the fishermen, who promptly informed the patrolling Coast Guard personnel, averted a potential disaster.
Responding swiftly, the Coast Guard team successfully rescued all eleven fishermen, but the boat succumbed to the flames and ultimately sank at sea.
This incident comes on the heels of a recent tragedy in Visakhapatnam, where 30 fishing vessels were destroyed due to a careless act— a discarded cigarette butt on a boat triggered a massive fire at the jetty. The situation escalated to the point where an Indian Navy vessel had to be deployed to bring the fire under control, as conventional fire engines struggled to douse the flames.
The cost of each fishing boat, amounting to nearly 15 lakh, translates to an estimated overall loss in the range of ₹4-5 crores. These incidents underscore the importance of fire safety measures in the fishing industry, as well as the critical role played by emergency responders in ensuring the safety of those at sea.