Nine fishermen from Chennai’s Kasimedu fishing harbour have gone missing after their mechanised fishing boat got lost in rough sea conditions due to Cyclone Murasu.
Their families and the local fishing community are desperately waiting for information about the missing men. They went into the sea on October 29 for deep sea fishing but weather conditions worsened so much that it turned out to be a scary experience.
As Cyclone Murasu approached Andhra Pradesh coast weather warnings were issued and fishermen were asked to return to shore or move to safer places but the nine men reportedly could not make it back as they were unable to navigate through the rough sea conditions.
The missing fishermen were in a mechanised boat TN 02 MM 2584 owned by local fisherman Selvalagan. Fellow fishermen said that the boat was near Andhra Pradesh when weather turned bad and crew told others they could not go back to shore and dropped anchor with another fishing vessel. This gave some hope to their families and fellow fishermen that they were in safe position while waiting for weather to improve but when contact with boat suddenly lost it became alarming.
" புயலுக்கு முன்னாடி பேசுனாங்க.. காத்து மழையா இருக்குன்னு சொன்னாங்க.. " - முரசு புயல் கரையைக் கடக்கும் போது மாயமான 9 காசிமேடு மீனவர்கள்.. கண்ணீருடன் காத்திருக்கும் குடும்பத்தினர்.. #MurasuCyclone | #FisherMan | #Missing | #Sea | #PolimerNews https://t.co/0IRRyyVxcI
— Polimer News (@polimernews) November 4, 2026
Fisherman Sathish Kumar said that they communicated with the missing vessel till 3 pm on November 3. They had last communicated saying that they could not return because of bad weather and had anchored near another boat.
The next morning Saravanan and Surya drivers of the nearby boat told fellow fishermen that the boat was no longer at the place where it had anchored. This created panic among all nine people on board as to whether they were safe or not.
The incident has led to appeals from the fishing community to the Tamil Nadu government and maritime authorities. Fellow fishermen and representatives have reportedly written complaints to Assistant Director of Fisheries, Indian Coast Guard and state ministers demanding immediate action. They requested authorities to send Coast Guard ships and helicopters to trace the missing boat and rescue nine fishermen. According to Tamil Daily Thanthi News Report that Coast Guard had started search operations using ships and helicopters.
Cyclone Murasu had been building up over the Bay of Bengal before making landfall near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh early on November 3. The storm brought strong winds and heavy rain to parts of eastern coast making it dangerous at sea.
India Meteorological Department had warned of rough seas and asked fishermen not to go into the water. Fishermen already fishing in deeper waters were told to return to shore or seek shelter in a safe harbour. The bad weather made it difficult for boats far from the shore to operate.
For the families of missing fishermen every hour is harder. Relatives are waiting anxiously for news hoping that the men will be found alive. Fear and distress in Kasimedu because they don’t know where they are or how they are. Other members of the fishing community are also worried they know what dangers lie ahead for those working in deep waters during bad weather. What they demand now is that search operations should not stop until the boat and crew are located.
The incident has once again brought home the risks deep-sea fishermen face when cyclones and sudden changes in weather affect their work. Fishing communities rely on weather information at short notice, communication equipment that works, safe harbours to reach.
Even if warnings are given boats already far out at sea may not return because of strong winds or high waves or mechanical problems etc. Coordination between fishing authorities, weather agencies, boat owners and rescue teams is therefore vital during such emergencies.
But the biggest worry is still whether the nine fishermen are safe. Authorities will have to go through communications records and information from nearby vessels to find out where the missing boat was last seen. Until that official confirmation comes, families and fellow fishermen pray for a good outcome. The Kasimedu crew’s disappearance has sent an entire fishing community into a state of limbo prayers are for all nine men to come home safely.
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