Kundapur: Fishing boat sinks; five fishermen rescued

Mangalore Today News Network

Kundapur, Feb 26, 2026: A fishing boat that had set out from Malpe harbour sank after taking in water in the sea between Kundapur and Gangolli. Five fishermen on board were rescued by fishermen from another boat.

The rescued fishermen have been identified as Prakash, Ranjith, Raghavendra, Rama and Srinivasa, all natives of Kumta.

The boat, named Sri Durgaparameshwari, owned by Nagaraj Putran of Kemmannu, had left Malpe harbour for fishing on the night of February 23. On February 24, an object reportedly struck the lower portion of the boat while at sea, causing water to seep into the engine compartment. As a result, the engine stopped functioning.

Although the fishermen attempted to bail out the water, their efforts were unsuccessful. Fishermen from the Sri Krishna boat from Malpe, along with Coastal Security Police personnel, rushed to the spot and rescued all five fishermen.

Later, the sinking boat was tied with a rope and towed towards Gangolli harbour for about 8–9 nautical miles by the Sri Krishna boat. However, due to strong winds and rough sea conditions, the rope snapped and the boat sank completely.

Boat owner Nagaraj Putran stated that the incident resulted in an estimated loss of ₹60–65 lakh. A case has been registered at the Gangolli Coastal Security Police Station in connection with the incident.