Panaji, Nov 11 : The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has launched a search operation after several Goa-based fishing trawlers went missing as the Arabian Sea turned rough under the influence of Cyclone Phyan, officials said Wednesday.

"Our patrol vessels are already on the lookout for the trawlers. We have also pressed a lookout aircraft into the operation, which will scan the sea off Goa in search of the missing trawlers," Commandant N. Saxena of the ICG base in Goa said.

He did not give the exact number of trawlers missing, but unconfirmed reports peg the number at 30.

Coastal areas of Goa are no longer endangered by the cyclone, the state meteorology department said, adding that Cyclone Phyan was heading in the direction of Gujarat. (IANS)