Mid-sea hit-and-run off Kasaragod coast leaves Tamil Nadu fishing boat badly damaged

Kasaragod: A deep-sea fishing boat from Kanyakumari suffered "near-total damage" after it was allegedly rammed by a tug in a mid-sea hit-and-run off the Kasaragod coast early Sunday. The accident occurred around 4.30 am on Sunday, around six nautical miles (11 km) off the coast, when the fishing boat 'Susanna' was returning from Gujarat to its home port at Thengapattinam in Kanyakumari district.

The crew identified the vessel that hit them as Ocean Radiance, a tug measuring around 30 metres in length and 10.5 metres in width, using the Automatic Identification System (AIS). According to the fishermen, the tug struck Susanna in the middle and continued its journey without offering assistance. “When we said we would complain to the police, the captain of the tug first said they did not see us, then said sorry and sailed away,” said Antony Ros, skipper of the fishing boat. “We were lucky the boat did not capsize. The boat has suffered near-total damage," he said.

Around 15 fishermen were dependent on Susanna, a 26-metre-long deep-sea fishing vessel. Susanna left Thengapattinam on April 12 with 10 fishermen on board and reached the Gujarat coast on May 2. After selling their catch there, four workers returned home because of emergencies in their families, while the remaining six began the return journey.

At the time of the collision, the boat was carrying around 6,000 kg of fish. “We were sailing closer to the coast because of rough weather,” Antony said. “We were not expecting a large tug so close to the coast,” he said. He said the impact left the crew in shock for several moments.

“The left side and the rear of the boat were damaged beyond repair,” he said. “The steel hull caved in, and seawater started entering the boat.” The crew also lost a safety equipment box containing life-saving gear, including lifebuoys, after it fell into the sea during the collision. One crew member, G Subin, suffered injuries.
The damaged vessel was first taken towards Mangaluru, but the crew was directed to approach the Kumbla Coastal Police Station in Kasaragod district as the accident occurred within Kerala waters.

The boat was later brought to Manjeshwar fishing harbour and anchored there. Subin was treated at the Government Taluk Hospital in Mangalpady. Kumbla Coastal Police registered a case on Monday evening against the skipper of Ocean Radiance under Section 282 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rash and negligent navigation, endangering human life.

"We reported the accident on Sunday itself, but the FIR was registered only on Monday evening, and they gave us the FIR today," said Antony on Tuesday. He said the crew was now waiting in Manjeshwar for insurance officials to inspect the vessel. "Once the weather improves, we will tow the boat back home,” he said.

Justin Antony of the Kanyakumari-based International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET), an NGO which works for the welfare of fishermen and their families, alleged that police were initially reluctant to register an FIR. “The police told them they would only issue a report for insurance purposes. They were not inclined to investigate the case,” he said.

Kumbla Coastal Police said details of the tug had been shared with the Fisheries Department to help trace it.