Vizag Boat Tragedy: Government Compensates Families of Missing Fishermen Amid Protests for More Search and Higher Payout

The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday distributed financial assistance of ₹10 lakh each to the families of six fishermen who went missing after their boat capsized off the Visakhapatnam coast on July 4. The distribution occurred amid protests from the families and local fishermen demanding intensified search operations and higher compensation.

The joint search operation by the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard was called off on Wednesday after the fishermen or the wreckage of the boat could not be found within the standard 72-hour search window. A three-member panel, in its report to the government, recommended that the missing fishermen be presumed dead.

Fisheries Minister Kollu Ravindra visited the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour to meet the grieving families and distributed cheques of ₹10 lakh per family, comprising ₹5 lakh from the Fisheries Department and ₹5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The incident occurred on July 4 when a mechanised boat with seven fishermen on board encountered rough seas due to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. The sole survivor, Kari Chinna, was rescued by a merchant vessel after drifting at sea. He reported that the boat capsized after being hit by strong gales, and the remaining six crew members went missing.

Multi-agency search operations involving the Indian Coast Guard, the Indian Navy, and the Coastal Security Police failed to locate the six missing individuals after 96 hours. Affected families and local leaders expressed dissatisfaction over the compensation amount, leading to a protest at the harbour. They argued that the financial assistance was a premature attempt by the government to close the issue without finding their loved ones. They confronted the Minister, demanding that search operations be intensified immediately rather than focusing on handing over cheques, and also demanded more compensation.

The East Coast Mechanised Fishing Boat Owners Association accused the district administration, Marine Police, and Fisheries Department of a delayed response. Association president Vasupalli Janakiram stated that precious time was lost between the initial distress report and the launch of full-scale search operations. Political leaders have also criticised the coalition government for administrative failure, demanding a high-level independent inquiry, arguing that the government’s response lacked urgency.

Beyond the immediate ex gratia payment, there are growing calls for substantially higher compensation, with various groups demanding up to ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore per family. The fishing community is also pushing for structural changes, including mandatory advanced GPS tracking for all fishing boats and the establishment of a more robust maritime emergency response system to prevent similar tragedies.

Minister Ravindra said that the government was committed to the rescue mission and addressing pending welfare disbursements.