Six fishermen are missing and 16 others have been rescued from an Indian boat that capsized in the Arabian Sea near the coast of Mangaluru city on Tuesday.
While a rescue operation for the missing fishermen by the Indian coastguard is still underway, those who have already been saved have been admitted to a state hospital and are undergoing treatment.
According to media reports, there were 22 fishermen on the boat named "Sriraksha", which reportedly capsized due to strong winds and waves. The fishermen had set out from the Hanamburu area near the Mangalore (officially called Mangaluru) coast, and the boat overturned after travelling a few nautical miles.
A district official supervising the relief efforts told the media that they were working "tirelessly" to save the six fishermen. He hinted that an airlift operation would also be carried out if required.
The incident comes after another boat, sailing from India's Vasai district to Palhghar in Maharashtra state, got trapped in the Arabian Sea due to engine failure last Saturday. All 12 fishermen on the boat were rescued by the Indian Navy and the coast guard.
Meanwhile, after battling Cyclone Nivar, southern Indian states, particularly Kerala and Tamil Nadu, are gearing up for another storm, as per a warning issued from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).