Fishing boat hits shore; all 10 on board rescued

A fishing boat accidentally hit the shore at Kodi near Ullal in Dakshina Kannada district in the wee hours of Sunday. All 10 fishermen on board were rescued by the local people.

The boat had left for fishing from Mangalore Old Port at 1.30 am and was anchored in the sea. However, the rope loosened due to gusty wind and the boat hit the shore, said the boat owners.

On hearing a loud noise, the local residents came out of their houses and saw a boat hitting the boulders dumped on the shores to check sea erosion. All the fishermen on board were rescued. The Ullal police visited the spot and registered a case.

The efforts to salvage the boat was not successful. The fish trays and nets in the boat were washed away in the sea. The boat too was damaged after it hit the boulders. The boat was built at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore.

MLA U T Khader visited the spot and said the efforts to salvage the boat could not be taken up. Only the New Mangalore Port Trust has the crane which can be put into use for such operations.