Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Missing Kerala Fisherman's Body Recovered From Backwaters
A fisherman named Thomas, who was 42 years old, went out on a small country boat to catch fish.
On Monday evening, he was on his way back home after fishing.
While he was sitting in the boat, he had a health problem called an epileptic seizure.
During a seizure, a person's body can shake and they cannot control it for a short time.
Because of the seizure, Thomas slipped and fell out of the boat into the backwaters.
People nearby asked for help, and a team of scuba divers came to search for him.
It got dark, so the search stopped for the night and started again on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, the divers found his body, and officials confirmed that he had died.
Around the same time, rescue teams were still looking for three other fishermen who had gone missing after boat accidents nearby.
The body of 42-year-old fisherman Thomas (Praveen) was recovered from the backwaters near the Muthalapozhi fishing harbour in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday morning.
Officials said he fell into the water on Monday evening while returning in a country boat after fishing.
A coastal police officer said Thomas suffered an epileptic seizure while sitting in the boat, slipped, and fell into the backwaters.
A Fire and Rescue Services scuba diving team launched the search, suspended it overnight, and resumed on Tuesday morning.
The recovery came as the search for three other missing fishermen — Gautam Krishna, John and Shijin — entered its 12th day off the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram coasts.
- Who
- Thomas (Praveen), a 42-year-old fisherman, recovered by officials after falling into the backwaters.
- What
- A missing fisherman's body was recovered from the backwaters after he slipped and fell from his boat.
- When
- He fell in on Monday evening, and his body was recovered on Tuesday morning; the search for three other missing fishermen was in its 12th day on Tuesday.
- Where
- Backwaters near the Muthalapozhi fishing harbour in Anchuthengu, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
- Why
- He suffered an epileptic seizure while sitting in the boat, following which he slipped and fell into the backwaters.
- Victim
- Thomas (Praveen), 42-year-old fisherman
- Incident location
- Backwaters near Muthalapozhi fishing harbour, Anchuthengu, Thiruvananthapuram
- Cause of fall
- Epileptic seizure while sitting in the country boat
- Incident time
- Monday evening, while returning from fishing
- Body recovered
- Tuesday morning; confirmed by the office of the state Fisheries Minister
- Search team
- Scuba diving team of Fire and Rescue Services
- Other missing fishermen
- Gautam Krishna, John and Shijin — search in its 12th day
- Agencies searching for the missing three
- Indian Navy, Coastal Police and Marine Enforcement Wing