The bodies of three fishermen from Tamil Nadu washed ashore at Kothapatnam near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, and the Indian Coast Guard later found two more in the sea near Nizampatnam Port, The Hindu reported. Their boat sank about 2 km off the coast.
PTI, reporting earlier on Thursday, put the number of bodies recovered at four. The counts differ by report, and the search continues for the rest of the nine men aboard.
How the boat went down
Three boats set out from Tamil Nadu to fish on October 29. As Cyclone Murasu approached, two anchored near Ramayapatnam Port on November 2, while the third went on to Nizampatnam, according to The Hindu.
On November 3, the nine fishermen on that boat left Nizampatnam to join the others at Ramayapatnam. Caught in the storm and strong winds, the boat drifted and capsized. PTI reported that they set out without informing the authorities of either State.
Eight of the nine were from Chennai and one from Cuddalore.
Identification and search
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson reached the mortuary in Ongole with the families, who identified four bodies. They will be taken to Tamil Nadu after the post-mortem and police procedures, he said. "We hope to recover the remaining bodies soon," Wilson said.
The Coast Guard, working with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Chennai, is searching with a Dornier aircraft. Families of the missing have urged the government to act on a war footing.
Why it matters
A relative told The Hindu that the boat's engine had reportedly failed and water had entered it on November 3, and that by the time another boat reached the spot three hours later, it was gone. The search for the remaining fishermen continues.