Udupi: Indian Coast Guard personnel here have rescued 10 fishermen in distress in sea, 100 km west of Malpe.

The Kerala-registered boat of the fishermen from Kannur had stalled on Saturday after the machinery compartment got flooded. The Coast Guard received a distress call at 6.30 p.m. the same day. Immediately, it diverted its vessel ICG Samar for rescue operations.

The fishing boat was located at 9.20 p.m. the next day.

Coast Guard personnel carried out night-boarding operations and undertook repairs to stop the ingress of water into the boat. The crew was provided with the necessary assistance and the boat towed by the ship to the shore. It was handed to the deputy director of the Department of Fisheries here at 12.45 p.m. on Monday, a Coast Guard release said.

Karnataka Coast Guard Commander Deputy Inspector-General S.S. Dasila said it was an instance of negligence on the part of owners of the boat, who overlooked the safety aspects. “The matter is being taken up with the State and district administration for ensuring that the owners are made more responsible and that they play an active role in ensuring the safety and security of crew on board once they venture into the sea for fishing,” he said.

The Commander said the Coast Guard towed the boat purely on humanitarian grounds though it was not its role.