A police probe into the mid-sea collision between a merchant vessel and a fishing boat off Kochi has confirmed the episode as a hit-and-run case.
According to officials with the Fort Kochi coastal police station, an interrogation of the ship’s crew revealed that they were aware of the collision with a fishing vessel but decided not to stop. It was revealed during the interrogation of the vessel’s captain Georgiannakis Ioannis, second officer Galanos Athanasios, and Zewana, a seaman, who have been under police custody since Tuesday. “The ship was proceeding towards Kochi for bunkering operations when the collision took place. They, however, had no idea about the events that unfolded afterwards, including the death of the fishermen,” said T.M. Varghese, Circle Inspector, Fort Kochi coastal police station.
The police custody of the accused will end on Thursday when they will be presented before the Thoppumpady Magistrate Court. Meanwhile, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court will hear the bail plea of the accused on Friday.
The Panama-flagged vessel, Amber L, crashed into the trawler, Carmel Matha, on June 11, about 14 nautical miles off the Kochi coast. Two persons were killed and one went missing in the accident.
