Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 16: A fishing net that had been spread out by ‘Malaraya Kripa’ boat owned by Prakash from Bengre here on Thursday December 15, was destroyed by a ship that moved over it, resulting in a loss of around Rs 20 lac, including the catch. The incident happened 20 kms off Ullal coast near here.

It reported that a ship that was moving to Kochi from Mumbai at great speed, avoided hitting the fishing boat in question by a thin margin. Fishermen leaders said that the fishermen in another boat came to the fishermen’s rescue, pulled the fishing net, and saved those aboard ‘Malaraya Kripa’.

Fishermen of the above boat were in the process of pulling back the net spread by them, when the ship, bearing the name, ‘Sebra’, which was speeding to the south from north, moved over the net. As a result, the boat was about to hit the ship, but it had a miraculous escape. The boat had 23 fishermen at the time.

The fishermen said that it is the duty of the ship’s captain to be vigilant about the movement of fishing boats, ships, or other bodies on the ship’s path for a distance of five km, and to navigate the ship in such a way that it does not damage these things. They have accused the captain of the above ship of recklessness and violating rules governing steering of ships at sea.

Karnataka Purse Seine Fishermen Association honorary president, Umesh karkera, secretary, Navin Bangera, and Mangalore Trawl Boat Fishermen’s Association president, Mohan Bengre, filed a complaint with the marine mercantile department of the port. The leaders said that they have been promised by the officials to withhold the ship in question at Kochi till formalities in connection with the investigation are completed.