Mangalore: Coastguard Chief Warns of Possible Oil Spill from Doomed Ship
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje 
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RS/CN)

Mangalore, Sep 7: “As adverse weather conditions in the Arabian Sea have increased the risk of oil leakage from the ship M V Asian Forest which recently sank, the authorities responsible should take immediate measures to tackle the issue”, said Commandant Padam Shekar Jha, commander, Karnataka coastguard, on Monday September 7.

Replying to a question by media persons at his office after a formal press meet about the rescue operation, the Commandant said that the authorities including director general of shipping should have taken measures to conduct a salvage operation which has not yet been initiated. “The owners of the ship have also not shown an interest in continuing their operation after some meetings held in the deputy commissioner’s office”, he added.

“The Arabian Sea has turned rough and there is a chance of movement of the ship which will lead to oil leakage”, said Jha.

“Marker buoys have also not been installed as proposed by the department of light houses. So there is a danger for other ships which cannot see the wreckage of the doomed ship”, he added.  

Commandant Jha said that their team had rescued eight crew members from a fishing boat named ‘Thank You Jesus’ on Saturday September 5 and brought them safely to shore in the coast guard vessel ‘Kasturba Gandhi’. 

“The fishing boat was in danger due to the rough sea”, said Jha, adding that the boat master Ignasious Loyola, crew members Angyadasan, Antony, Maria David, E Chandhira, Rajan, Linin Daniel, and Sesumunivel, have all recovered after treatment. They are all from Tamil Nadu.