Kochi: The five fishermen who went missing from Chellanam in Kochi amid rough sea conditions on Friday have been rescued safely by another group of fishermen.

According to Manorama News, the five men were stranded at sea after the engine of their boat malfunctioned. As their vessel drifted aimlessly, a group of fishermen from Colachel in Tamil Nadu spotted them and rescued them.
All five fishermen are safe, say reports. 

Coast Guard and Coastal Police have also launched a search for the five-member team. According to Manorama News, the missing fishermen, all residents of Kandakkadavu in Chellanam, had ventured out for fishing around 4.30 am on a boat named Emmanuel, owned by a native of Alappuzha.

The families raised an alarm after the group failed to return home at the expected time. Following their complaint, Coast Guard vessels and police patrols launched a coordinated search in the area.

The incident occurred even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had banned fishing off the Kerala, Karnataka and Lakshadweep coasts due to rough sea conditions. The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea from Friday to Tuesday, warning of gusty winds reaching speeds of 35–55 kmph caused by a depression over the southeast Arabian Sea.

Meanwhile, a fishing boat reportedly capsized near Chellanam in the early hours of Friday, but all fishermen aboard were rescued, officials said.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Ernakulam district on Friday.