Daijiworld Media Network - Raigad

Raigad, Jul 27: A major search operation is underway off the coast of Maharashtra’s Raigad district after a fishing boat carrying eight men capsized in the Arabian Sea near Khanderi on Saturday morning. While five of the fishermen managed to swim to safety, three are still missing, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred around 8:30 am when the fishing boat from Karanja in Uran ventured out to sea near Alibaug. According to police, heavy rains and turbulent sea conditions caused the boat to overturn, forcing all eight fishermen to jump into the water in a desperate attempt to save themselves.

“Five of them swam ashore and were immediately rushed to the hospital. One of them suffered an eye injury, but all are currently in stable condition,” said an official involved in the rescue.

A multi-agency rescue operation involving the police, Coast Guard, and local disaster response teams was launched soon after the incident. Drones were deployed to aid the search for the three missing fishermen.

As of late Saturday evening, the operation continued with no sign yet of the missing men. Authorities remain hopeful but have not ruled out the possibility of the rough weather hampering the chances of a swift recovery.