Seize papers of cargo ship that hit fishing boat: Kerala HC

Kochi, June 12 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Monday directed authorities to seize documents of the cargo ship bearing a Panama flag that hit a fishing boat here on Sunday. Two fishermen were killed and one went missing in the collision.

The court's intervention came on Monday evening after relatives of the two killed fishermen moved the court for justice.

The court asked the officials of the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) to seize the voice data recorder and the original log book of the ship.

Earlier in the day, the DGS officials, accompanied by the Coast Guard, Coastal Police and Kerala Police officials, began their inspection of the ship.

The cargo ship carrying fertilisers is now berthed in the outer seas and after inspection, a decision would be taken on what needs to be done.

Speaking to IANS, Kochi Police Commissioner M.P. Dinesh said: "There are a lot of procedures to be followed in taking forward this case."

"Today's (Monday) probe will reveal what exactly happened and accordingly the process of law will take its course," added Dinesh.

The decision on taking into custody of the ship's captain, a Greek national, would also be known later in the day.

While the bodies of two fishermen were brought to the shore on Sunday, the search is still going on for the missing person.

One of the dead fishermen is from Tamil Nadu and the other from Assam. The missing fisherman is said to be from Uttar Pradesh. Eleven fishermen were rescued by another fishing boat.

According to the fishermen in the ill-fated fishing boat, "Carmel Matha", the accident occurred around 2 a.m. on Sunday about 16 nautical miles from the Kerala coast.

According to the fishermen, there was no warning by the cargo ship and after hitting the fishing boat, it sailed away without stopping, which according to maritime laws, is a grave crime.