Visakhapatnam, July 5 -- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered a search and rescue operation on Sunday after seven fishermen went missing at sea near Visakhapatnam due to rough weather, according to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

According to the East Coast Mechanised Fishing Boat Owners Association of India, the fishermen ventured into the sea from Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on July 1 at around 3 am aboard a mechanised fishing boat.

"In the early hours of July 1, around 3:00 am, a total of seven fishermen set out for a fishing expedition from the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour aboard the boat bearing registration number IND-AP-MM-V5-83," said association president Vasupalli Janakiram.

Of the seven ...