The External Affairs Ministry said it has sensitised several countries in the Pacific Ocean region about a missing vessel that sailed from Kerala with people on board more than five months ago.MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said they are yet to receive any information from these countries in the matter.

According to media reports, the vessel, named ‘Deva Matha 2’, had set sail from a port in Kerala’s Ernakulam district on January 12 and according to the state police, it had 243 people on board.

“When it sailed we were informed by the state government that there are people on board and they were headed towards a specific destination in the Pacific Ocean and our responsibility was to sensitise the countries in that region.

The family members of those missing have approached several authorities and even sent a joint memorandum to the MEA.