A massive search operation is in progress to trace the missing fishermen, with five vessels, two Dornier aircraft and a helicopter have been pressed into services, State Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said on Friday.The Minister said officials had spoken with Indian Coast Guard Assistant Commanding Officer Ranjith Kumar to review the progress of the search operation. According to Coast Guard officials, five ships, two Dornier aircraft and a helicopter are currently engaged in an extensive search operation at sea. Information about the missing fishing boat has also been shared with authorities in Myanmar, Port Blair and coastal areas near the Bangladesh border, with officials in those regions asked to remain alert for any information regarding the vessel, he said.Although the boat had not yet been traced, Mr. Atchannaidu said, there would be no interruption in the search operation. The Coast Guard officials had informed the government that the search would continue even after August 24, when another officer is scheduled to take charge of the responsibility.The State government is maintaining constant coordination with the Indian Coast Guard and the Navy to ensure that every possible effort is made to trace and safely bring back the missing fishermen, the Minister said.“We will not stop the search until the fishermen are safely brought back,” Mr. Atchannaidu said, assuring the families that all possible measures were being taken.He appealed to the family members not to lose hope and to be courageous, stating that the government would continue the search operation through all available means until the whereabouts of the fishermen and their boat were established. Published - August 21, 2026 08:06 pm IST