Bhatkal: The body of the last missing fisherman in the Shirali Tatti Hakkal river tragedy was recovered on Monday morning, taking the death toll in the incident to 11, officials said. Post-mortem examinations of all the deceased were conducted at the Bhatkal Government Hospital before their final rites were performed.

 

According to authorities, 14 fishermen were caught in the river after the water level rose suddenly and currents intensified on Sunday. Rescue personnel managed to pull out 13 people on the same day. Of them, 10 were declared dead, while three others who sustained serious injuries were shifted to a hospital in Manipal for treatment.

 

Search operations had continued overnight for one missing fisherman, whose body was recovered on Monday. The deceased was identified as Madev Birappa Naik (52), a resident of Padu Shirali.

 

The incident, in which 11 fishermen lost their lives after being swept away in the river, is being described as one of the worst tragedies of its kind in Bhatkal’s recent history. The deaths have reportedly left 24 children orphaned, casting a pall of grief across the coastal town.