Ten Rescue Personnel Missing After Boats Capsize in Telangana

In a tragic incident in Telangana, ten personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Fire Services are feared missing following the capsize of their rescue boats. The incident occurred on Wednesday while they were attempting to rescue fishermen stranded in the Betupalli tank, located in Sathupalli mandal of Khammam district.

Heavy rains had caused the tank to overflow, leaving five fishermen trapped as they attempted to install fishing nets. Initially, three Fire Services personnel set out in a boat to reach the stranded individuals, but they too became caught in strong floodwaters. To assist, six SDRF personnel from Kothagudem, along with four additional Fire Services personnel, set out in two boats to effect a rescue.

The initial three firefighters were successfully rescued; however, as they proceeded to reach the fishermen, both vessels capsized, resulting in ten rescue personnel being reported missing. The authorities were notified immediately, prompting senior police officials and local rescue teams to rush to the site and begin search operations.

Divers and trained swimmers have been deployed to search for the missing personnel amid challenging conditions. Local residents have gathered around the lake, heightening the urgency of the situation. The SDRF has also mobilised another boat to assist with the search.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been called in from Bhadrachalam to bolster the rescue efforts. Local government officials, including Khammam Collector Divakar and Sathupalli Member of the Legislative Assembly Ragamayi, are supervising the ongoing operations.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has expressed concern over the situation and has instructed officials to intensify the search for the missing personnel. He has asked Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju to monitor the situation continuously and coordinate the rescue operations effectively.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao is also closely following the developments and has directed officials to seek additional assistance if required. He advised the use of advanced technology to trace the mobile phone locations of those unaccounted for. Furthermore, Tummala reached out to the trapped fishermen to check on their wellbeing and to ensure all possible measures are in place for their safe retrieval.

The government has mobilised all available resources and has placed its machinery on high alert to locate and recover the missing personnel.