Ship sunk on her way to breaking yard
The MV Sea Angel, a 70-meter-long Maldivian vessel bound for Kannur in north Kerala under tow, to be dismantled as scrap, sank off Kochi on the evening of July 1.
The vessel towed by another Maldivian Ship MV Morning Star left Male, Maldives on 26th June, for delivery to Steel Industries Limited Kerala (SILK) breaking yard at Azhikkal Port.
However, due to the rough seas and unprofessional towing methods, MV Sea Angel sank at a distance of 6.5 nautical miles off Munambam harbour near Kochi. The towing vessel MV Morning Star has been detained and is presently at outer anchorage beyond the port limits. An FIR under IPC section 280 for negligent navigation by the master of the Maldivian vessel has been lodged by Coast Guard with Coastal Police, at Fort Kochi.
Earlier, immediately after the incident, the (ICGS) Indian Coast Guard Ship Lakshmi Bai was dispatched to the site of sinking by Coast Guard District Headquarters No4 for investigating the incident.
The area of the wreck was identified and the local boats were informed of the danger to navigation. The agents of the vessel have been directed to make arrangements for salvage operations to clear the wreckage from close to the coast. Coast Guard has also requested Cochin Port Trust to provide berthing to the ship for casualty investigation by Mercantile Marine Department
Source: ANI
