Mangalore: Missing Mini Ship - Coast Guard Terminates Search Operation
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Dec 5: The city-based freight carrier mini ship, MSV Al Akhter, which went missing last Sunday after being battered by huge waves and choppy sea, has not yet been located. The fate of the five out of its six crew members is also unknown. At the same time, it is gathered that the Coast Guard of Lakshadweep and police teams, which had been vigorously searching for the missing ship, have shelved their operations. With this, the hopes of finding the ship or its crew members have been dashed.
The ship, owned by Mustafa from the city, had left the dock at Bunder here on November 25, loaded with items worth over Rs 25 lac. It suddenly went missing at 6 am on November 27. The ship was being manned by crew members, Shankar (58) from Kerala, who was its captain, Amin (39) from Gujarat, Ahmed Ismail (27), Salim Ali (43), Mohsin (27) and Altaf Sahi Mohammed (29). The body of a man in decomposed state was found on November 29 near Lakshadweep. It was concluded that it belonged to Amin, a crew members of this ship.
Mustafa said that recovery of a life jacket on the night of November 28 had proved that the ship and its crew members had drowned. He said that a small boat and a barrel of diesel were found a little away from the spot, before a dead body was washed ashore. Although the body was believed to be that of Amin, based on its height as mentioned in his passport, his identity could not be conclusively confirmed. He said that Amin’s family members could not come here, adding that there are no hopes of finding the ship and its crew members.
Mustafa, who has been in this field since the last two decades, had bought a bigger ship three years ago, by selling a small boat he had earlier, and raising a bank loan and pledging gold ornaments. He said that he has suffered a loss about Rs 60 lac because of this incident, and that the boat had not been insured. Now, the family members of the crew also will not be able to claim any compensation, he rued.
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