Indian Navy, Coast Guard rescue scores of cyclone-hit fishermen off Kerala coast: In Pics

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had directed the Indian Navy to join the rescue mission on Friday night.

KERALA: The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard on Friday rescued scores of fishermen stranded in sea in a massive search operation after Cyclone Ockhi struck the Kerala coast.

Several naval ships and choppers were pressed into service after the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded a storm alert on Friday night. The coastguards and other state disaster management officials have also joined the search and rescue missions.

The rescued fishermen were being shifted to safer places on a war footing.

Here are some images from the crisis zone:

Injured fishermen were being deboarded from a chopper on a rescue mission.

Rescued fishermen were being shifted to an ambulance at Trivandrum Air Force Station.

A view of the rain-battered Trivandrum Air Force Station.

Fishermen on board one of the fishing boats reported missing from Kanyakumari are being rescued on Friday. 

Another fishing vessel being rescued off the Kanyakumari coast. 

Aid materials being unloaded from a navy ship in Kerala.

Relief materials being loaded on board INS Shardul.

A view from inside Indian naval ship INS Shardul.