Malappuram: Shocking details have emerged about the ill-fated boat that capsized and sank in the Poorappuzha estuary on the west coast of Kerala, near Tanur, on Sunday evening, claiming 22 lives half of them being children.
‘Atlantic’ was originally a fibre fishing vessel that was modified unscientifically to be operated as a tourist boat, sensing a business opportunity. It had changed hands a few times before it was bought for a paltry sum by the current owner, Nassar.
The old fishing vessel was bought for just Rs 20,000 before illegally effecting the structural changes without addressing safety issues like structural integrity and stability, according to documents assessed by ‘Manorama’.
The vessel, which had a maximum carrying capacity of 15 fishermen, was converted into a tourist boat with a passenger capacity of 26 people by dodging mandatory inspections and paying a fine.
The fishing vessel originally belonged to a Palapetty native, though no documents in this regard were available with the District Fisheries office.
The boat was remodelled unscientifically, reveal documents.
It was initially having only a width of 1.9 meters, while the stability report obtained for the tourist boat mentioned it as 2.9 m. Fishing vessels normally don’t have this much width, according to fishers.
As per preliminary assessment, structural instability led to its capsizing while taking a U-turn in the middle of the estuary on Sunday evening. This likely happened because of the inadequate width of the lower portion of the boat, including the hull.
Nassar, the current boat owner who was arrested on Monday, might have illegally increased the width of the fishing vessel to obtain a fitness certificate. Nothing is reported in the documents about the officials undertaking any inspection of the boat at any time while taking it to the boatyard or during the progress of the preliminary works to make structural changes.
The Port Authority had slapped a fine for carrying out the illegal modification.
The stability report was issued by the Ship Technology Department of the Cochin University of Science & Technology (Cusat). It mentioned that the converted tourist boat has a passenger capacity of 26 persons, including two employees. However, the Port Surveyor’s report gave sanction to carry only 22 people, including boat workers.
Owner managed to avoid inspection
Nassar had remitted a fine of Rs 10,000 for the illegal modification. Following this, the Port Authority itself aided him to initiate the fitness and registration activities. Survey procedures carried out by the then Alappuzha Port Chief Surveyor were completed on the basis of the ‘fine’. Mandatory inspections with regard to structural integrity and stability were not done before that.
However, Port authorities refuse to accept the lapses on their part, even in the face of the tragedy. The officials claim that the current set of rules has no provision to prevent such modification of fishing vessels.
How the boat came into Nassar's hand
The original owner faced a financial crisis with the fishing sector suffering heavy losses. As he failed to repay loans he fled after selling the fishing net and other equipment. Those who lent money then seized the vessel from the Palapetty coast and brought it to Ponnani yard. They then sold it for a mere Rs 20,000 to another person. Tanur native Nassar bought the vessel from this owner for Rs 60,000 and converted it into a tourist boat. He brought the same to Tanur from Ponnani two months back and started the services without taking adequate safety measures.
