Coast Guard ship hits trawler, probe conducted
PTI, PANAJI | 26 April 2013 15:02 IST
The Indian Coast Guard has initiated Board of Inquiry (BOI) in the accident involving its off shore patrol vessel and a fishing trawler off Goa coast which has left one fishermen dead and five missing yesterday.
“The ship that was involved in the accident was our vessel ICGS Vaibhav. The accident has happened off the sea. We have initiated Board of Inquiry,” ICG Goa region commander S D Bhanot told PTI today.
“Two Naval ships are holding search and rescue operations since yesterday. They have recovered one body,” Bhanot said, adding five persons are still missing.
A Fishing trawler, Sea Messiah, which had left from South Goa’s Cutbona jetty, had capsized off 13 nautical miles from Agonda beach in Canacona taluka yesterday at 4.30 am. The trawler was carrying 23 crew members on board, of which body of one was found in the rescue operation, while four are missing.
The rest of the crew was rescued by another trawler, fishing nearby, five hours after the accident when they had marooned in the Sea.
ICGS Vaibhav which was involved in the accident is a 90-metre-off shore class patrol vessel.
Cutbona Boat Owners Association, a union of trawler operators, today demanded that the police case be registered against the pilot, who was steering ICGS Vaibhav.
“Commander of the ICG has admitted that the ship that was involved belongs to their fleet. The police case should be registered and pilot of the ship should be arrested,” CBOA President Patric D’Silva demanded.
He said that the police action is necessitated as the trawler was enough illuminated to be spotted by nearby ship.
