Four fishermen went missing in the sea off the Munambam coast near here after their fibre boat capsized, coastal police said on Friday. Three others in the boat, who were hanging on to water cans, were rescued by a fishing vessel in the vicinity.

The Indian Coast Guard initiated rescue operations and a search is on to find the missing fishermen after the boat overturned on Thursday night.

The accident reportedly occurred when they were returning to the shore in the boat after collecting fish caught by fishermen on another boat.

The Coast Guard said the fibre boat 'Nanma', capsized 11 nautical miles north of Kochi, near the shores of Munambam harbour.

The Maritime Rescue Sub-centre in Kochi initiated search and rescue operations and diverted a fast patrol vessel, Abhinav, and an interceptor boat, C-162 to the location, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

It said choppers were deployed on Friday morning, and a special team of divers will also assist with the search and rescue operations.

The Coast Guard said the prevailing conditions of the wind and the sea were "creating hindrance" to undertaking the search and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, one of the rescued fishermen told the media that they held on to water cans for hours before a fishing boat rescued them.

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