Fishing boat collided with cargo ship off Kochi coast; two killed

Two fishermen were killed and one reported missing after a cargo ship registered in Panama collided with their boat off the Kochi coast in the early hours of Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Thambidurai, a native of Kulachal in Tamil Nadu and Rahul, from Assam. Three fishermen were injured in the incident.

The fishing boat, Carmel Matha, had 14 men on board when the incident happened, at about 2 am.

Minister for Fisheries J Mercykutty Amma said Amber L, the bulk carrier cargo ship from Panama, and its crew were detained. Preliminary reports said the cargo vessel had hit the anchored boat, about 14 nautical miles off the coast, destroying it completely and sailed away.

Men on another boat, woken up by cries for help from the sinking fishermen, started a rescue operation and managed to shift 11 men on their boat to the shore. The injured men are admitted in hospitals. The fishing boat had left Thoppumpady in Kochi two days ago.

A search operation by the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard led to the berthed cargo vessel and detention of its crew. “A case of culpable homicide and other cases under relevant sections will be registered.

The ship has already been detained,” Kochi Commissioner of Police M P Dinesh said. A search is on for the missing fisherman.

According to www.marinetraffic.com, Amber L had departed from the port of Eilat in Israel on May 30 and was reported anchored in Kochi early on Sunday. The vessel was built in 2000.