Accuses the Italian vessel of flouting the laid-down counter-piracy measures
The Indian Navy on Friday lashed out at the Italian oil tanker, Enrica Lexie, for flouting the laid-down counter-piracy measures, which resulted in the ship's armed guards, who are Italian military personnel, gunning down two Indian fishermen in the contiguous sea zone off Ambalapuzha on Wednesday.
On Thursday, a team of Coast Guard and Coastal Police personnel boarded the tanker, now anchored off Kochi, for a detailed investigation.
“It appears that the set procedures [to be adopted by merchant ships on such occasions] were given a go-by, which is completely unacceptable,” Vice-Admiral K.N. Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command and Commander-in-Chief (Coastal Defence) of the Southern Zone, told The Hindu.
“If they thought they were being chased by a pirate vessel, they should have carried out evasive manoeuvres to alter the course of the ship, as enunciated by the guidelines. If the skiff was still after them, they would've fired fire a few warning shots well above the bow of the pirate vessel to deter it. Unfortunately, they do not seem to have done any of this,” said the Vice-Admiral.
“The Italians are claiming that this was a successful anti-piracy operation, but it is crystal clear that the fishermen were unarmed and were not attempting to come alongside the tanker to board it. As the tanker crew claims to have been fired upon, I sent [fast attack craft] INS Kabra to ascertain if there were bullet marks on it. It went around the ship to find that there was none. I've also asked my men to verify the tanker's logbook to account for the number of rounds fired by the guards. This is to see if they had fired any warning shot at all. What are you talking about the fishing vessel giving you a chase when the maximum speed it can attain is just about eight knots?” the Vice-Admiral asked.
“The international shipping lanes have shifted inwards close to our waters lately after a few incidents of piracy were reported on the seas off Thiruvananthapuram,” he added.
In Kollam, the Coastal Police registered a murder case against the crew of the tanker under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. While no particular name figured, the police said the accused would be indentified after interrogating the crew members. Investigators from the Central intelligence agencies, including the Research and Analysis Wing, arrived at the Coastal police station in Kollam on Thursday to gather details.
Bodies
The bodies of the two fishermen were brought to Neendakara harbour late on Wednesday night and taken to the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, for post mortem. Valentine's body was taken back to Kollam and kept in a mortuary. The funeral will take place at his village Moothakkara in the suburbs of Kollam city at 9.30 a.m. on Friday. The body of the other victim, Pinku, was taken to Erayammanthurai in Tamil Nadu's Nagercoil district and buried.
Solatium
While in Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced a solatium of Rs. 5 lakh to the family of Pinku, who hailed from Irayumanthurai village in Kanyakumari district. In Thiruvanthapuram, the Kerala Cabinet decided to grant a solatium of Rs. 5 lakh each to the kin of both the victims.
Keywords: Indian fishermen killing
When attacked in the areas notorious for Somali pirates, the vessel is recommended to contact UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA), NATO Shipping Centre (NSC), Maritime Liason Office (MLO), International Maritime Bureau (IMB)etc. In the Indian Waters, they can contact the Indian Coast Guard and Mercantile Marine Department (MMD).
Moreover, it is hard to digest that a vessel with 14 or 15 knots speed was chased by a fishing boat with a top speed of 8 knots. The Indian fishing community is known for their proffesionalism and do their part in keeping the pirates away from the Indian waters.
This incident stresses the need to train the commandos more comprehensively. To pull the trigger is the easiest thing to do in such a situation. Rather than slamming the Indian police and celebrating the great anti piracy operation, the Italian government and the media should exercise more restaint and allow the law of the land to take its course.
Though the issues related to piracy needed to be tackled in the
international level, to use brute force before ascertaining whether
the vessel is hostile is not acceptable. Whether the vessel was in
international waters or not will determine the legal aspects of the
issue, but no one can give those two innocent men, their lives back.
There are some set practices and recommended procedures in the event
of a pirate attack - like sounding the emergency alarm, activate the
ship security alert system, make a distress call on VHF, send distress
signal via inmarsat etc. Enrica Lexie doesn't seem to have done any of
these. Further, they are supposed to increase the speed of the vessel
and maneuver away from the pirate vessel to expose the pirates to sea,
swell and stern wash. They can also use water hoses, spray or any
other ship protection measures.
It is quite embarassing that a European country is not being
apologetic even after they are sure that the mistake is on their part.
The italian news said that the ship tried repeatedly to warn the
fishermen's boat, but received no signal of response. As the boat kept
on it's route, heading straight to the ship, they fired warning shots.
It was referred as "fending off pirates" because that was what they
reported to their commanders, since they are italian soldiers of the
national army, which are now legal to be on board of civilian ships
since a 10 months long ship seizure by somali pirates.
That is what they said. I am absolutely not sure about what really
happened. Now they are carrying on investigations, so we'll see. If
certain proofs of italian guilt come, they must go to jail, no doubt.
Sorry for the bad english.
It is very premature to shoot to kill occupants of an unidentified vessel before confirming hostile intent and whether the occupants were armed. With poor set protocols to identify Indian fishing boats, the Italian armed guards acted negligently and made apparently false claims that it was a successful anti-piracy operation which is unacceptable to say after killing unarmed fishermen going about their day and who passed close by which really does not warrant or justify opening fire on them. Why was the Italian vessel so close (40miles/64.4km) to the Kerala coast? Why were loudspeakers not used and were the Captain and guard waiting for the boat to approach close by before opening communications? It is extremely disheartening to think that a ship patroling Indian waters to police against African Somali pirates was unable to properly engage a fishing vessel to determine hostility and still took measures to shoot no warning shots above the unknown vessel but right at the two unarmed men.
Please Email the Editor