‘He gave me his life jacket, then vanished’: Survivor recalls rescue as rescuer remains missing

Kannur: A rappelling instructor who rescued a stranded farmer during flooding in Kerala's Kannur district remains missing after being swept away by strong currents, as the survivor said he wished the rescuer had never been forced to risk his life for him

"If Rajesh and his team had not come, they would have been searching for me today. At 61, it would not have mattered if something had happened to me. Rajesh should never have had to risk his life for mine."

These were the emotional words of Benny, the man rescued moments before rappelling instructor R. Rajesh (36) was swept away by floodwaters during a rescue operation in Kerala's Kannur district.

Rajesh, a native of Kalliyoor in Thiruvananthapuram, went missing while rescuing Benny, who had become stranded on Meenthulli Islet in Cherupuzha after rising waters from the Kariyangode River cut him off.

Survivor recounts dramatic rescue

Benny said he had gone to his coffee plantation at Meenthulli North around 11.30 am after learning of a landslide inside the adjoining Karnataka forest. The plantation is located on an islet between the forest and the Kariyangode River.

At the time, the water level was only ankle-deep, allowing him to clear debris that had accumulated around the coffee plants.

By around 3 pm, however, the river began rising rapidly. Benny hurried to gather his motor pump, equipment and tools before attempting to leave, but the water rose alarmingly within minutes.

"When the water reached my waist, I realised the situation had become dangerous," he recalled.

Having lived near the river since 1971, Benny was familiar with its behaviour. He telephoned his wife, Ancy, to inform her of the situation before contacting local ward member Roshy Jose, who assured him that the Fire and Rescue Services would be alerted.

As the water surged from both sides, Benny lost his footing. His mobile phone and footwear were swept away. He removed his shirt to move more freely against the current, but his shed, along with his motor pump, brush cutter and tools, was washed away.

When the floodwater reached his neck, Benny clung to a coconut tree and waited for help.

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Soon, he spotted Rajesh and his rescue team approaching in a raft. They threw him a rope, but while tying it to the tree his finger became trapped. By the time he managed to free it, Rajesh had swum across to him.

Rajesh removed his own life jacket and placed it on Benny before the rescue team began the return journey. Benny was positioned in front, with rescuers Shibin and Jithin behind him and Rajesh bringing up the rear, all attached to the safety rope.

The river, around 40 metres wide at that point, was flowing violently over rocky terrain.

"I reached the bank safely. When I turned around, I saw Rajesh being swept away by the current," Benny said.

Search continues for missing rescuer

Rajesh remains missing after being swept away during the operation on Saturday evening. Fire and Rescue Services personnel, assisted by local residents, continued search efforts late into Sunday but were unable to locate him.

The accident occurred at around 5.30 pm while Rajesh was escorting Benny back to safety from Meenthulli Islet, situated between the Karnataka forest and the Kariyankode River. As the group neared the riverbank, Rajesh reportedly lost his grip on the safety rope and was carried away by the strong current.

Friends and colleagues remain hopeful that he will be found alive, pointing out that Rajesh was an accomplished swimmer and an experienced rappelling instructor with extensive expertise in navigating rocky river terrain.

Veteran rescuer with a record of service

Rajesh, a member of the Adventure Disaster Society, had been in Kannur for the past month as part of a training assignment. He had briefly returned home a week earlier before resuming duty.

A national-level throwball player, Rajesh had previously taken part in rescue operations during the Kerala floods and the Wayanad disaster. He also served as a trekking instructor for National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets.

News of his disappearance prompted friends to travel to Kannur on Saturday night to join the search.

Rajesh had already endured personal tragedy after his younger brother, Ranjith, died in a train accident two years ago.

He is survived by his wife, Shafia, their two sons, Arshan and Abhishek, his parents, and his sister, Asha.