Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SS)

Udupi, Apr 18: A fisherman who accidentally fell off a purse seine boat into the sea was rescued alive after he managed to stay afloat for 14 hours in Malpe.

The rescued fisherman is identified as Pukalu Kameya of Andhra Pradesh.

A 35-member fishermen team were returning on the Persian boat after their fishing activity when Kameya, who was seated behind accidentally fell off the boat into the sea. The other fishermen who were in his company on the same boat came to know that he was missing and looked for him only after travelling some distance. Immediately, the fishermen then took the boat backwards and began searching for their missing fisherman friend but to no avail.

Later, the fishermen reported this matter to the Coast Guard. The fisherman who had fallen off swam for a brief duration when he found a fishing net that was laid to catch the fish. The fisherman used the flag post that was put up in the net as support to remain afloat and to remain standing. The net was laid on April 17 at 6 pm and when the fishermen reached the spot at 3 am they finally found Kameya standing there with the support of the flag post. He was pulled out from the water and rescued before bringing him back to the shore. Due to some health issues that he faced, Kameya was admitted to Ajjarkad district hospital by Eshwar Malpe. The fisherman has since recovered and has now been discharged from hospital.

“I have been managing the boats and doing other chores at Malpe since the last five years. When I fell off the boat the boat returned looking for me. I waved out to people in the boat and made signs to catch their attention. But they did not notice me. Later, I found some plastic bottles in the sea which I used to feed on myself and caught hold of a fishing net that was laid to rescue myself,” said Kameya.