Kerala: Ship involved in hit-and-run identified

Alappuzha police,who are probing into the case,made the ships second officer Sugathan as the first accused

Merchant ship MV Prabhu Daya,owned by Tolani Shipping (Singapore) Pvt Limited,was on Wednesday identified as the ship that hit a fishing boat off the Kerala coast on March 1,killing three fishermen.

Alappuzha police,who are probing into the case,made the ships second officer Sugathan as the first accused. A Keralite,Sugathan was in charge of the ship at the time of the accident. Sugathan had accidentally fallen from the ship along the Sri Lanka coast on Sunday after the Director-General of Shipping asked the vessel to report in Chennai for further investigation. He was saved by Lankan fishermen and is now undergoing treatment. The police had registered a case under IPC 304(a).

The ship was on its way to Singapore with iron ore from Panaji port when it allegedly ripped apart a fishing boat carrying seven men from Keralas Kollam coast. Two persons are still missing.

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A Navy communique said detailed traffic analysis had helped various agencies to zero in on MV Prabhu Daya.

The investigation,which commenced in Mumbai soon after the incident was reported to Indian Coast Guard unit in Kochi,resulted in about eight ships being investigated by Coast Guard ships.

Subsequently,MV Prabhu Daya,was diverted to Chennai where officials of the Mercantile Marine Department gathered evidences about the ships involvement in the mid-sea mishap.