Search operations continued on Saturday in the sea and coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam to locate fishermen missing from Muthalapozhi, Vizhinjam and Neendakara. The Fisheries Department, Coast Guard, Coastal Police and local fishermen took part in the operations.

For Shijin, who went missing from Muthalapozhi, a marine ambulance carrying CPO Anil, Coastal Police personnel and four lifeguards left Vizhinjam Harbour at 7.40 am. The fishing boat St Peter the Apostle also joined the operation from Muthalapozhi, while a Coast Guard helicopter conducted an aerial search.

A four-member scuba team from Vizhinjam, arranged at the request of Shijin’s relatives, searched for around 90 minutes before the operation was called off due to worsening weather. Police and Fisheries Department boats, along with four local residents, also participated in the search.

For John Mathias, who went missing from Vizhinjam, the Indian Coast Guard ship Anagh searched from Vizhinjam to Kanyakumari. A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft carried out an aerial search along the same stretch after taking off from Kochi at 2.30 pm. The Fisheries Department rescue boat Dheera searched the Muttom, Inayam and Thengapattanam areas.

Following a request from the family, authorities have also sought an aerial search in the Rameswaram-Ramanathapuram region through the district collector and Chennai Coast Guard.

In Kollam, a search began at 6.30 am for Gautham, who went missing after the fishing boat Sreekrishna Bhagavan capsized. Twelve Fisheries Department lifeguards, Marine Enforcement and Coastal Police personnel, along with two of his relatives, took part in the operation using speedboats, a hired boat and a fibre boat.

A search was conducted around the capsizing site, including an anchor-dragging operation towards the estuary, but no trace of Gautham was found. Teams also searched several backwater locations and surrounding areas, including St Thomas Island, St Joseph Island, Fathima Thuruthu, Dalavapuram, Mukkad and Kureepuzha.

The backwater search was called off at 4 pm, while drones were used to monitor the breakwater rocks and wharf. The search at sea remains ongoing.