MADURAI: A deep sea fishing vessel from Eraviputhenthurai in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu with a 12-member crew has been stranded near the India – Oman border for more than ten days due to a technical snag.
The Indian Coast Guard’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai has supplied provisions to the crippled vessel with the help of merchant ships passing that way while rescue measures are still under way.The ship supplied them fuel. The ship engineers tried to restart the engine without much success. “The crippled fishing vessel is at the anchor as of now, and ICG is following up on them,” said an official.
The fishing vessel Alankaramatha owned by R Arulappan sailed from Kochi on Sept 11. The owner is among the crew members. They remained not reachable till Thursday. On Thursday, the Indian Coast Guard informed the family of the boat owner about the fishing vessel stranded near Oman border.
According to information received, the fishing vessel ran into trouble on Sept 15 after her engine failed and the efforts to restart it failed, said Fr Rajeesh Babu, the parish priest of Eraviputhanthurai who is in touch with the family of the boat owner.
“We have learned that the Indian Coast Guard is trying to repatriate the crew, but it is unlikely that they would part with the vessel. The fishing craft is their livelihood. So, we appeal to govt to help them tow the crippled vessel to a nearby shore where they can repair the engine,” said Babu.
Among the 12-member crew, six are from Puducherry, two are from West Bengal, three are from Eraviputhanthurai village while one fishermen is from neighbouring Poothurai village in Kanyakumari district, said P Justin Antony of International Fishermen Development Trust at Kanyakumari. “Family members are worried about the safety of their fishermen,” he said.