Thoothukudi-based coastal sailing vessel sinks near Maldives, one missing

A coastal sailing vessel, which was on its way to Maldives with cargo loaded in the old harbour here, sank off the coast of the island nation on Saturday evening. One of the eight crew members in the vessel is missing while the others were rescued.

The vessel, MSV Esther Rajathi, which was going to Maldives’ capital Male with the cargo, was caught in the rough weather when it was 60 nautical miles off the coast of the island nation. With gale lashing the area, the vessel with eight crew members sank.

While seven of the crew members were rescued by a ship crossing the accident site, one sailor could not be traced immediately. Efforts are on to locate him.

Sources here said Coastal Sailing Vessel Owners’ Association had contacted the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy to expedite the search operation by contacting their Maldivian counterparts to rescue the missing sailor and bring back the rescued sailors.