JOIN USBlame game starts over sinking of ONGC's barge Papaa-305
Even as the Navy and the Coast Guard continue the Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, the blame game over the sinking of accommodation barge Papaa-305 seems to have begun and involves multiple agencies.
Afcons Infrastructure Ltd together with its consortium partner Halani-Tes-Nauvata, has been working with ONGC for the revamp of its unmanned offshore platforms in the Arabian Sea.
The chartered barge along with its marine crew was owned and operated by Durmast Enterprises Ltd.
While the ONGC did not release any official statement, a PTI report quoting top sources close to ONGC, said: “Inadequate advance notice and miscalculations of Cyclone Tauktae'’s ferocity and its path may have contributed to a false belief that oilfield operations in the Arabian Sea need not be paused.”
In a press statement, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd said the weather forecasts received on May 14, 2021 from the “service provider predicted that sustained wind speed of maximum 40 knots (classified as a Tropical Storm) is likely to occur at our specific work location late 16/early 17 May".
Elaborating about the preventive strategy, it said on May 14 itself, all vessels were advised to secure their respective work locations and move to safe locations at the earliest.
Accordingly, all vessels and barges, including Papaa-305, commenced moving out of their work locations on May 14/15, 2021, while the other barges moved to Mumbai Port/Mumbai Outer Anchorage/Anchorage close to Revandanda.
“However, the Master of Papaa-305 chose to move 200 metres away from the HT platform where it was working, deciding this as a safe location since the max predicted wind speed was only 40 Knots and his location was 120 nautical miles away from the eye of the tropical storm,” the statement said.
“Unfortunately, the weather conditions deteriorated rapidly from the evening of May 16. The sudden deterioration of weather left no time at all for any further action to be taken by the Master of the vessel,” the statement said.
The Afcons statement further pointed out: “As per the normal marine protocol, as well as the specific charter agreement for Papaa-305, matters concerning vessel safety lie under the responsibility of the Owner/Barge Master, who is in the best position to decide on the appropriate course of action regarding vessel safety, as he has the necessary skill sets as well as the understanding of his vessel and its equipment, under the prevailing local conditions.”
On questions about why the people were not moved out, Afcons said: “Evacuation of the vessel is an extreme step only resorted to in case the vessel is in distress.”