Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has confirmed that seven of the nine Tamil Nadu fishermen who went missing after their boat capsized during Cyclone Murasu have been found dead. Expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy, the Chief Minister said the fishermen lost their lives after their vessel was caught in severe weather conditions off the Andhra Pradesh coast. He instructed officials to intensify search operations to locate the remaining two missing fishermen and ensure that all available resources are deployed until the rescue mission is completed.

According to officials, the search operation has been underway for the past three days with the support of the Indian Coast Guard, Marine Police, local fishermen, and other emergency agencies. The capsized boat was later found washed ashore near Kothapatnam Beach in Prakasam district. Authorities recovered five bodies on Thursday and two more on Friday, while efforts continue to trace the remaining fishermen. Officials have also begun the identification process, completed necessary post-mortem procedures, and initiated relief measures for the affected families.

The nine fishermen, all residents of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, had taken shelter at Andhra Pradesh ports as Cyclone Murasu approached the coast. On November 3, they reportedly left Nizampatnam for Ramayapatnam to join fellow fishermen without informing authorities from either state. Their boat overturned in rough seas due to strong winds generated by the cyclone. Since the victims belonged to Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Naidu directed officials to coordinate closely with the Tamil Nadu government to ensure the bodies are transported to their native places without delay while continuing the search for the two missing fishermen.