The Mercantile Marine Department of Shipping Ministry has, in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard, brought mv Desh Shakti, the vessel suspected to be involved in collision with a fishing vessel of Kochi coast on Tuesday, to New Mangalore Port.
While the vessel, an oil tanker owned by the Shipping Corporation of India, was brought to Mangaluru waters on Wednesday, it was berthed at Berth No 10 of NMPT on Thursday.
Sources told The Hindu that the personnel have commenced inspection of the vessel and are investigating its possible involvement in the collision.
The personnel would check the vessel’s hull and under-keel to ascertain the alleged collision.
Sources said that the vessel has been detained in Mangaluru and would be allowed to go only after thorough investigation.
Three fishermen were killed, nine went missing and two survived when a large vessel hit the fishing vessel, Oceanic, owned by Sambasivan of Munambam, 27 nautical miles north-west off Chettuva Barmouth in Thrissur on Tuesday morning.
Edwin and Narain Sarkar, who were awake when the collision occurred and survived with the help of floating wooden planks, were rescued by other fishing boats and are undergoing treatment at the Government General Hospital in Ernakulam, according to reports.
In a statement to the police, Edwin has said that the ship rammed their boat in the rear, breaking it and throwing the occupants into sea. The vessel made a brief halt and resumed journey without taking up rescue operations, he said. The Kerala Coastal Police have registered cases against an unknown vessel.
mv Desh Shakti set sail from Chennai on August 3 and was reportedly on its way to Iraq.
It regularly operates between West Asian counties and India bringing crude to the country. It is one of the largest vessels owned by SCI, 274 m long and 48 m wide with 84,261 gross tonnage, according to SCI.
