The state government has intensified the search operation for the seven fishermen and the boat owner who went missing along with their boat from Malpe Shipping Harbour since December 22, 2018.

The boat owner Chandrashekar along with seven fishermen Damadar Badanidiyar, Lakshman Kumta, Satisha Kumta, Ravi, Manki Harish Kumta, Ramesh Kumta and Jogayya Kumta ventured into the deep sea for fishing from the Malpe fishing harbour in their boat - Suvarna Thribhuja on the evening of December 13, 2018. Usually, their fishing duration is 10 days, after which they were to return on December 22, the police said. Boat owner Chandrashekar’s brother Nithyananda filed a missing complaint with the Malpe police on December 22. He told the police that Chandrashekar contacted him last on December 16, around 1 am and informed that they were fishing near Goa and were unable to establish contact with fishermen from the other boats from Malpe. The Malpe police then communicated about the missing incident to the coastal security guards, who along with Indian Coast Guard, were pressed into service with their ships, hovercrafts, Dornier aircraft and helicopters to search for the missing men and their boat. They carried out sea-air search.