ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy’s search and rescue operation to locate four missing fishermen entered its fifth day on Tuesday after their fishing boat capsized in the Arabian Sea off the Karachi coast, following a collision with a merchant vessel.
Teams of the Pakistan Navy’s Second Force Protection Unit have recovered the body of one of the missing fishermen. The body has been handed over to the civil administration, according to sources.
Pakistan Navy is making continuous efforts to find the missing persons with the help of modern equipment, divers, and naval resources.
Helicopters are also being used by the Pakistan Navy to search for the missing persons. Sources say the search and rescue operation will continue till the remaining missing fishermen are found.
The incident occurred last Friday near Manora Beach, close to the Karachi Port Trust, when a merchant vessel struck the fishing boat, causing it to capsize and forcing all fishermen on board to jump into the sea, police added.
Seven fishermen were later rescued by another vessel in the vicinity, while search and rescue operations continued for the remaining missing individuals. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collision.
In its statement, the Edhi Foundation said: “A boat capsized at Manora Beach and multiple people sank, of which six people were recovered alive with the aid of Edhi’s marine aid team.”
A week ago, a boat carrying eight residents of Karachi capsized in the open sea near Keti Bandar. The incident left one person dead and another missing, while six others were rescued by local fishermen.
In September, a fisherman drowned and three survived when their boat capsized near Port Qasim due to strong winds.
