Body recovered after joint SDRF–NDRF operation
Morung Express News
Wokha | March 1
A fisherman in his late 40s was found dead after reportedly drowning in the Doyang River on February 26.
The body of Ezanthung Odyuo from New Riphyim village was recovered at around 3:00 PM on March 1 following a joint search operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
According to village sources, Odyuo had gone fishing on the morning of February 26 but did not return home.
Concern arose after his safety tube was reportedly found floating in the river, and when he failed to return by evening, villagers began searching for him.
With no eyewitnesses to the incident, the search continued through February 27 but yielded no results, prompting a formal missing report on February 28.
Thereafter, an SDRF team led by Platoon Commander Mhonyamo of SDRF Wokha began search operations the same day at around 10:00 AM after receiving information from the District Disaster Management Authority, Wokha.
Sixteen personnel were deployed on the first day of the search and the team strength was increased to 26 on the following day.
Rescuers employed battle search procedures and used the rotating boat technique to generate spiralling waves in an attempt to bring the body to the surface.
However, stiff underwater currents, large submerged stones and heavy debris hampered the operation, the team informed.
Meanwhile, an NDRF team, led by Deputy Commandant A Boboi, arrived on March 1 morning and, after conducting underwater searches, recovered the body at around 3 PM.
Officials said it had been trapped beneath a stone, which likely delayed its recovery.
Villagers from the Doyang area and neighbouring communities, including Old and New Riphyim, assisted rescue personnel by identifying likely search points.
The body was later handed over to family members for the last rites.
