The Indian Coast Guard evacuated fisherman Komara Ramu after he was injured and fell overboard from a fishing boat about 54 nautical miles, or 100 km, off Mangaluru, during a night-time rescue operation on November 2.
Ramu was aboard the Indian fishing boat Shiv Sagar, which had departed from Mangaluru fishing harbour, locally known as Bunder, three days earlier. He fell into the sea while the crew was hauling fishing nets, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. The crew recovered him and sought urgent medical assistance.
The distress call was transmitted over VHF radio from Shiv Sagar to the Coast Guard. Following the call, Coast Guard District Headquarters-3 deployed the interceptor vessel ICGS C-448 to locate the fishing boat and evacuate the injured fisherman.
The Coast Guard vessel located Shiv Sagar in darkness and carried out the evacuation under challenging night-time conditions. Ramu was taken aboard the Coast Guard vessel and provided first aid during the operation.
The rescue brought together the fishing boat’s crew, the Coast Guard’s regional command and shore-based port facilities. The incident began as an emergency at sea but concluded with the fisherman being brought to the New Mangaluru Port Authority jetty, from where he was shifted to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
The episode underlines the operational link between Mangaluru’s fishing harbour, boats working offshore and emergency response infrastructure at the port. For fishing crews operating far from the coast, radio communication and the ability of maritime authorities to locate a vessel at night are central to securing medical assistance after an accident.
Shiv Sagar had been at sea for three days when the accident occurred. The report did not provide details of the extent of Ramu’s injuries or identify the hospital to which he was taken. It also did not specify how long the Coast Guard vessel took to reach the fishing boat after receiving the distress call.
The Coast Guard said the operation involved locating the fishing boat in darkness, evacuating Ramu and providing first aid before transferring him to shore. The fisherman’s further treatment is now with the nearby hospital after his handover at the New Mangaluru Port Authority jetty.
