AP: Boat stranded in mid-sea with 8 people

Visakhapatnam, June 22: A fishing boat, 'FNZM 1', with eight people on board, was stranded mid-sea off Gangavaram port early today, following the deep depression over the West Central Bay of Bengal.

Coast Guard DIG Prasad said a Coast Guard ship 'Priyadarshini' was sent to the spot to rescue the boat.

The boat was registered in Nizampatnam, Dolphin Fishing Association President M Satyanarayana Murthy said.

Fishing community Corporator P Vijay Chander submitted a representation to District Collector A K Singhal, seeking immediate relief of Rs 15 lakh as the country boats which had returned from the sea were badly damaged by gales.

A special cyclone cell was set up at the collectorate here, official sources said.

UNI