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Time of India

Fisherman pulled into sea by suspected marlin off Andhra coast; search underway

A 28-year-old fisherman, Chodapalli Yerayya , has gone missing in the sea after being pulled into deep waters by a large fish—believed to be a black marlin—around 20 nautical miles off the north Andhra coast. Yerayya, a resident of Pudimadaka coastal village in Atchutapuram mandal, Anakapalle district, was fishing with three others when the incident occurred. According to police, Yerayya was using a line fishing method and had just cast his bait when a massive marlin—locally known as 'Kommu Konam'—bit the hook. Caught off guard by the fish's power, Yerayya was dragged into the sea before he could react. Despite frantic efforts by his fellow fishermen and alerts to nearby boats, Yerayya could not be located, raising fears that he may have drowned. This marks the second marlin-related incident in Anakapalle district in recent years. In February 2022, Molli Joganna, another fisherman from the region, was fatally impaled by a black marlin while fishing about 60 nautical miles from the coast. Joganna had entered the water to check a net when the trapped marlin escaped and pierced his abdomen with its sharp snout. He died instantly despite rescue attempts. Black marlins are massive predatory fish, often weighing hundreds of kilograms and capable of swimming at speeds up to 109 km/h in short bursts. Their spear-like beaks make them particularly dangerous when agitated or entangled. Speaking on the recent incident, Atchutapuram SI N. Ganesh confirmed that search operations involving coastal security police and local fisherfolk are ongoing and will resume on Friday. Meanwhile, district fisheries officer G. Vijaya explained that while such incidents are rare, 'a powerful fish like a marlin can potentially drag a fisherman into the sea when it takes the bait.' Live Events Authorities continue to monitor the area and urge fishermen to exercise extreme caution while using line bait techniques in deep-sea waters. [Inputs from TOI] Economic Times WhatsApp channel )