Deccan Herald Mangalore
Mangalore, Jun 25: For Capt Abraham Kwaw, who was leading the unfortunate vessel M V Denden, the Saturday’s tragedy was the first shaking experience during his 40-years experience in the sea.
“I had never came across such a terrible occurrence since 1966, the year which I entered this career,” Capt Kwaw told Deccan Herald on Sunday, who has been recuperating in the KMC Hospital (Ambedkar Circle) in the City, with his colleagues.
“In fact, we were fortunate to rescue from the tragic Gonu cyclone that hit the Middle East a few weeks ago. Unless we had followed a specific plan and changed our direction, we would have been one among the thousand victims,” he went down memory lane.
According to him, sea was not for those who blindly jump into decisions. “We too were on a strategy when technical snags were traced in the ship on June 21, a day after we sailed off from the New Mangalore Port.
Hence, we conveyed our confidence to the Coast Guards and the Port authorities that we would manage to set right the faults and continue the voyage. But the unpredictable climate turned our plans turtle,” he recalled.
Capt Kwaw, having the rare experience of travelling to various countries across the world through the sea route, has ascended the captain’s position after working in various levels. “I have sailed to a number of countries, those in Australia, Egypt, South Africa and Asia, but with a completely different kind of experience,” he explained.
However, his increasing age (62) and the tragedy have not weakened his nerves. He had a smile of pride on his face when he heard a comment - You still look younger, Mr Captain! - when he tried to proceed for an x-ray on his own, refusing a wheelchair.
‘God’s grace’
For Mr Mohammed Younis, the chief engineer of the vessel, it was the blessings of the almighty which saved at least 21 members in the ship. “I was hopeful of a gradual control in the bad weather, and was praying for God’s grace. The only hope we had was that the life jackets, which can make us sail on the sea for hours together,” he said.
However, it was our last resort to jump to the sea when the whole vessel capsized. I lost my last hope when a big tide churned me into its depth as soon as I jumped, but perhaps, by God’s grace I could come up again, he explained.
Mr Younis remained silent for a minute when he remembered two of his co-sailors who died in the wreck.
“It is true we cannot estimate the total loss occurred out of the tragedy but I can’t really imagine the loss of the two lives,” he sighed.
Eager on families
Most of the rescued showed their eagerness to talk to their family members as they had been “apprehensive over the incident”. Some of them found requesting the hospital staff for new mobile sim cards, as they had lost their own ones in the wreck.
‘SEA HAS NO BORDERS’
“Sea has no borders, dear. It is the governments which have confrontations. Finally, all are human beings living across the world.” That was how the engineer Mohammed Younis, a Pakistani, reacted when he was asked how he felt about the incident as it took place in India.
“I feel proud about the fishermen who tried their level best to rescue us yesterday. All are brothers when they sail on the sea,” he said and added: “My children are even today eager to visit various places in India including the Taj Mahal.” He said having a visit to Ajmer Sharief with his family members was still his only ambition in life.
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