On the evening of Wednesday, October 1st local time, a sudden collision occurred between an MSC cargo ship and a fishing vessel near the Kannamaly coast, resulting in damage to the fishing boat and the destruction of its fishing gear and catch on board.
According to foreign media reports, around 5:00 PM on October 1st, while the fishing vessel “Prathiyasha” was hauling in its nets about 7.5 nautical miles off the Kannamaly coast, the merchant ship “MSC SILVER2” approached and collided with the stern of the fishing boat.
There were about 45 crew members on the fishing vessel. They claimed to have issued radio warning signals, but these were ignored by the approaching merchant ship. It wasn’t until other fishing boats sounded alarms that the merchant ship changed its course.
They experienced a harrowing escape; some crew members on the fishing boat jumped into the water to avoid injury. Fortunately, there were no injuries from the collision, but it destroyed the fishing gear on board and damaged the fishing vessel.
According to the crew’s estimates, the lost catch, primarily mackerel, was worth about 1 million rupees (approximately 80,000 RMB). Additionally, repairing the damaged nets and the boat will cost about 500,000 rupees (approximately 40,000 RMB).
They stated that this incident would halt their fishing activities for a period and impact their livelihoods.
Jackson Pollayil, President of the Kerala Independent Fishermen Federation, expressed concern over the frequent accidents involving merchant ships near fishing zones. He claimed that ships entering the Vizhinjam port often change course in violation of navigation rules, posing dangers to fishing boats.
Pollayil urged the port authorities, the Union Shipping Ministry, and the coastal police to take action, warning that if such incidents continue, fishermen might block ships from entering the port.
Charles George, President of the Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI) Kerala Fishermen’s Union, stated that collisions between merchant ships and fishing vessels are becoming increasingly frequent. He pointed out that since 2012, eight such incidents have occurred off the Kerala coast, resulting in the deaths of 15 fishermen.
George stated that many merchant ships disregard the International Maritime Organization’s code of conduct and noted that a proposal to shift the shipping lane 50 nautical miles westward was not passed. George called for legal action against the ship captains and for securing adequate compensation for the fishermen.
The Cochin Coastal Police Station confirmed that a complaint had been received from the boat owner and stated that an investigation is underway. A police source said that a formal case will be registered after verifying the incident.
Compiled by Shipping Online.
Disclaimer: This article is reprinted for the purpose of conveying more information. If there are any inaccuracies in the source attribution or if it infringes upon your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us with proof of ownership. We will promptly make corrections or deletions. Thank you.
