The search operations for the seven fishermen from the Amalapuram region who went missing at sea have been intensified, said Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Kinjarapu Atchannaidu.In a statement on Tuesday (August 25, 2026), the Minister said that the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Navy, and other agencies are conducting an extensive search operation in coordination with the Centre. The Defence Ministry had stepped up the search after Amalapuram MP Harish Balayogi met the Union Defence Minister on Tuesday and discussed the ongoing efforts to locate the missing fishermen, he said.Following directions from the Deputy Director General (Operations) at the ICG headquarters, the Eastern and North-Eastern Commands based in Kolkata have also been mobilised, Mr. Atchannaidu said.As part of the expanded operation, 15 ICG vessels and four helicopters operating in nearby waters were deployed on Tuesday to widen the search area and accelerate the mission. Electronic surveillance is also being carried out simultaneously under the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), he said.Myanmar and Bangladesh maritime authorities have been alerted, as the missing fishing boat may have drifted into foreign waters. The Coast Guard is examining multiple possibilities, including the boat having drifted beyond Indian waters or becoming stranded at sea because of an engine malfunction. Information received from various maritime authorities is being continuously analysed along with electronic surveillance inputs from the MRCC, he added. Published - August 25, 2026 07:48 pm IST