A crude oil tanker under the flag of Liberia allegedly rammed into a mechanised fishing vessel, about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Colachel in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district, damaging the Indian vessel, police said on Tuesday.
The crew of the deep sea fishing craft named Sea Queen, which lay anchored away from the Colachel harbour, was completely taken aback when the huge tanker hit and cruised without stopping, claimed police.
“The Sea Queen was dragged for some distance as the anchor rope got entangled in the propeller. Sea water rapidly entered the fishing vessel and it seemed as if it would sink. But the presence of mind displayed by a crew member who severed the rope brought the needed respite in saving the men on board and the craft from sinking,” claimed Capt Johnson Charles, secretary of Meenavar Orunginaippu Sangam, a fishermen association.