CANACONA
Nine fishermen on board a fishing boat had a miraculous escape after their boat capsized off Rajbagh beach just 150 metres before reaching the Talpona fishing jetty on Sunday.
Timely assistance from lifeguards helped rescue three fishermen who got entangled in the net while the other 6 managed to swim to the shore.
According to Fire and Emergency Services, the boat owned by Deepak of Colomb had set out early morning from Talpona jetty. On its way back, just about 150 meters from the jetty, it was struck by large wave as it attempted to enter the Talpona river mouth. The impact caused the boat to capsize, throwing all nine fishermen into the sea.
The day's catch was lost in the seawater while the fishing nets also floated away as the overturned boat drifted in the water. The incident occurred around 11 am.
While all the fishermen were thrown into the sea, three struggled to stay afloat after they got entangled in the fishing nets. Fortunately, they were soon assisted by lifeguards who rushed to the scene on a jet ski and safely rescued them, bringing them to shore.
Meanwhile, the other six fishermen managed to swim through the turbulent waters and reached the shore safely on their own.
In response to the SOS calls, FES personnel and policemen arrived at the scene and with over 200 locals, assisted in pulling the capsized boat and fishing nets onto the shore.
The area where the river meets the sea is known to be extremely dangerous for fishing boats due to the formation of underwater sand dunes. Most boats prefer to navigate this treacherous stretch during high tide to avoid hitting these sand dunes.
Local residents, including former CMC Chairperson and fishermen community leader Ratnakar Dhuri, criticized both past and present governments for failing to address the issue of dredging, which they consider a persistent hazard.
Dhuri noted that underwater sand dunes accumulate in this area, causing boats to capsize as waves intensify. He urged the government to construct a concrete retaining wall on one side, extending at least 1 km, and to dredge the sand dunes from the water track.
Before any fatal incident occurs, Dhuri called on the government, the local MLA, and the newly elected MP to implement safety measures for the benefit of the fishing community.
