Kerala: 469 fishermen died, 160 went missing over 11 years: Govt
Coastal Tragedy: Kerala Records 469 Fisher Deaths and 160 Disappearances Across Eleven Years
Bharatmorningnews.com – Kerala – Protests have surfaced within Kerala’s coastal communities following the recent disappearance of two local fishers. In response to these concerns, the state Fisheries Minister’s office published fresh statistics on Friday revealing that 469 fishermen lost their lives and 160 others vanished from the Kerala coastline during the past eleven years.
Marine Operations and Rescue Statistics
According to information issued by Minister V E Abdul Gafoor’s department, authorities executed 23,000 patrolling operations alongside 5,072 sea rescue missions between 2015-16 and 2025-26 under the Kerala Marine Fisheries Regulation framework.
The most tragic year for fisher fatalities was 2017-18, which recorded 79 deaths. Subsequent years showed 55 casualties in 2025-26 and 54 in 2023-24. Regarding disappearances, 29 fishermen went missing in 2017-18 alone, while 2016-17 and 2021-22 each saw 26 fishermen vanish.
Current figures for 2025-26 indicate that 2,107 patrolling operations and 560 rescue missions resulted in 6,556 fishermen being saved. During this same period, 55 fishermen perished and three were reported missing.
Recent Search Operations Intensified
The timing of these statistics coincides with heightened community concern over two missing fishers, including a 26-year-old man from the state.
Coastal Police officials confirmed on Friday that search efforts have been strengthened for Gautam Krishna of Puthenthura, who disappeared after a fishing vessel capsized near Puthenthura on July 31. Personnel at the Neendakara Coastal Police Station stated that extra boats and staff have been assigned to locate Gautam. Tragically, his father Radhakrishnan and grandfather Rajeevan, who were aboard the same vessel, also lost their lives in the accident.
Meanwhile, the Vizhinjam Coastal Police continue searching for John from Pulluvila, who went missing in a separate boat incident off the Thiruvananthapuram coast on July 31. John’s relatives recently demonstrated outside the Vizhinjam Coastal Police Station, claiming that search activities have not been conducted efficiently.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kerala?
Kerala is the main topic of this guide. The article explains the context, practical details, and next steps readers should understand.
Why does Kerala matter?
Kerala matters because readers are looking for a useful answer, not just a short summary. Good content should match search intent and help them decide what to do next.