Rupesh Samant

Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 22: The Goa government on Friday admitted that the condition of Naphtha laden ship which has run aground off Goa coast has been 'serious', while efforts are on to refloat it.

On October 24, an unmanned tanker ship carrying huge quantity of Naphtha drifted from Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), and ran aground off Goa coast, almost 2.5 nautical miles from Dona Paula village, near Panaji.

State Ports minister, Michael Lobo said that the private company which has been hired to empty the Naphtha and salvage the ship is 'in the process of mobilizing its resources'.

He said that the ship was stuck on the rock inside the sea while its condition is serious. “The salvager company will have to refloat the ship before tugging it away in the sea.”

“The matter is serious and when it is serious, it needs to be dealt seriously,” he said blaming MPT for allowing the unmanned ship to enter the harbour.

Lobo said that the entire problem was created due to a callous attitude of the MPT officials who allowed the unmanned ship to anchor at the port.

“MPT could have refused to allow the ship to enter the port. How did they allow the ship without engine,” the minister said.

Lobo said that the state government’s first job is to ensure that the ship has to move out and after that, the inquiry would be initiated against the officials who allowed the ship.

“This is not the right time to do an investigation. This is a time to salvage the ship. I will ask the district collector to do the investigation,” the minister said.