Coast Guard steps up search for eight fishermen missing off Konaseema, Andhra Pradesh

The Indian Coast Guard’s Kakinada and Visakhapatnam units have stepped up their search for the fishing boat MO 135. It has been missing since August 7 with eight fishermen on board during a deep-sea fishing trip off the Andhra Pradesh coast.

On August 3, the eight fishermen set out in the mechanised boat from the Odalarevu fish landing centre in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district in search of tuna. When they said they were moving towards the Odisha coast; they were due back on August 10, they last spoke to their families by phone on August 7. Their absence came to light after their families alerted the officials concerned on August 17.

The fishermen on board include Karri Ramudu, K. Ramakrishna, S. Thatharao, Esudasu, Palepu Santarao and Kollati Srinivas, all of Odalarevu village in the district. The remaining two belong to Kakinada.

At a joint press conference here on Tuesday (August 18, 2026), District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar said: “The Indian Coast Guard’s Kakinada and Visakhapatnam units are engaged in the search operation, in which they shared the details of MO 135 boat and fisherfolk with their ships on the sail in the Bay of Bengal.”

“The fishing boats that are engaged in deep-sea fishing from Kakinada and Uppada fish landing points have also been communicated about the missing MO 135,” Mr. Mahesh Kumar said.

Superintendent of Police Rahul Meena said a missing case had been filed at the Allavaram police station. “We are coordinating the search operation with the Indian Coast Guard, AP Marine police and the fishing boats in the sea,” he said.

Provisions until August 20

The boat carried 1,000 litres of diesel against the 600 the trip needed, and food and rice enough for 17 days. It the Fisheries Department says should last until August 20. It has a VHF radio set, and the crew had mobile phones. Fishing boats working out of Kakinada, Bhairavapalem, Visakhapatnam and Paradip have been asked to report anything they see, and the State Disaster Management Authority has been alerted.