Seven feared missing, two were rescued after a tug vessel named Alliance which was assisting the MRPL is cargo unloading near Single Point Mooring started drifting following the rough sea.
According to sources in MRPL, the vessel belongs to M/s Underwater Services Company Ltd. There were nine men on board of the vessel. The company assists MRPL in Cargo unloading near SPM and functions in coordination with New Mangalore Port.
"The cargo operation had completed on Friday and the vessel was supposed to return on the same day. Due to adverse conditions, they stayed back and started its journey on Saturday and faced the distress," said the sources.
Two persons on board of the vessel who were tossed into the stormy sea started swimming towards the shore using tubes. Local residents and fishermen in Mattu near Padubidri who noticed them struggling while reaching the shore rescued them. The two men Munnirulla Mulla (34), Karibulla Shiek (24) overcome by fatigue were shifted to a hospital, said residents of Mattu near Padubidri.
The body of one more person Hemakantha Jha (50) has been recovered at Mattu.