CHENNAI: A 33-year-old man from Kodungaiyur, who worked as a temporary driver for a coast guard officer, is feared dead after he fell into the 85-foot deep water at Chennai Harbour.
The incident occurred when the vehicle plunged into the sea while reversing on Tuesday night. While the fire personnel recovered the car, the officials are yet to rescue the missing driver.
The deceased driver was identified as Mohammed Shahi, a resident of Kodungaiyur, Chennai. He served as a temporary chauffeur for Coast Guard Officer Jogendra Kanda at the Chennai Port.
The incident occurred when Shahi was driving Officer Kanda from the port to Jawahar Dock-5 in a Tavera vehicle.
The vehicle suddenly lost control and plunged into the sea. Coast Guard Officer Kanda, who was also inside the vehicle, managed to break the windshield through the car window and swim to safety, though he later fainted. Unfortunately, Shahi remained trapped in the vehicle as it sank to a depth of 85 feet.
A rescue team comprising over 30 Coast Guard personnel, 20 firefighters, scuba divers, and port police arrived at the scene to locate the submerged vehicle and driver Mohammed Shahi.
The search operation continued for over two hours, with darkness hampering the recovery efforts of the vehicle submerged under the water. As there were rocks under the sea, the missing Shahi may have been trapped underneath them.
Officer Kanda was transported to the Army Hospital in St Thomas Mount via ambulance for medical attention. The rescue operation started on Wednesday morning.
