Mangaluru: Fishing boat sinks off coast, all fishermen rescued

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 29, 2026: A fishing boat named ‘Bhagirathi’, which had ventured into the sea for fishing from Malpe harbour in Udupi, sank about five nautical miles off the Mangaluru coast. A major tragedy was averted as all the fishermen on board were safely rescued by the crew of nearby fishing boats.

The boat belongs to Jai Salian, a resident of Mabukala in Brahmavar, and had set out for fishing on May 24. On the morning of May 26, while fishing around 8 to 10 nautical miles off the Mangaluru coast, the boat reportedly developed a technical problem in its gearbox. It was later brought to the Old Port in Mangaluru at around 9.30 am for repairs. After the repair work was completed, the boat resumed fishing operations the same night at around 9.30 pm through the Alive Gate.

While engaged in fishing operations, the ‘Bhagirathi’ is suspected to have collided with a submerged portion of another sunken boat lying beneath the sea. Following the impact, water began entering the vessel, pushing it towards sinking within a short period.

At around 12.30 am, when the boat was on the verge of completely sinking, crew members of four nearby fishing boats rushed to the spot and safely rescued all the fishermen on board. The sinking boat was tied with ropes and towed with the help of two other boats to the Hoige Bazaar area near the Old Port dock in Mangaluru. However, by then, water had entered the engine, causing severe damage.

According to the boat owner, nearly Rs 1 lakh worth of fish collected after two days of fishing was destroyed in the incident. Around 2,500 litres of diesel, navigation equipment including GPS and AIS systems, wireless sets, fish-finding devices, and fishing nets were also damaged. The boat has reportedly suffered irreparable damage, resulting in an estimated loss of around Rs 25 lakh.

A case has been registered at the Mangaluru Coastal Security Police Station, and further investigation is underway.