After ships collide, captains on collision course
By IANSWednesday, August 11, 2010
MUMBAI - After the devastating mid-sea collision of two massive cargo container ships off the Mumbai coast, the captains of both the vessels appeared to be on a collision course and each blamed the other for the accident here Wednesday.
Appearing before the Yellow Gate Police Station - which registered a case of negligence against both the ships’ captains - Captain Laxman Dubey of the St. Kitts’ vessel MV Khalijia-III claimed that despite repeated efforts on his part to contact the captain of the Panamanin vessel, MSC Chitra, there was no response.
Similarly, in his anticipatory bail application before a Mumbai court, MSC Chitra’s Captain Minguelino R. Martin accused the master of MV Khalijia-III as being responsible for the disaster.
He further stated that MV Khalijia-III was not a seaworthy vessel as it was grounded off Mumbai port July 19, barely three weeks ago, and was brought back into operations in an unsafe condition.
Investigating officers of the police station said that as per a preliminary probe, the two captains were in touch with the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) which could have failed to alert both the ships that they were on a collision course.
The investigators are now in the process of deciphering the log book records from the VTMS to ascertain whether the alerts to both the captains about a possible collision had actually reached or not.
They would also inquire into the allegations levelled by both captains accusing port pilots of irresponsible behaviour in the matter of guiding safe entry and exit of ships to and from the Mumbai harbour.
Meanwhile, Additional Sessions Judge N.P. Dhote, directed the Mumbai Police to file its reply in the anticipatory bail application filed by the master of Panamanian vessel, MSC Chitra, Captain Martin, and not to arrest him till next Wednesday (Aug 18).
Following the collision between the two ships Saturday, the police had filed a case against the captains and crew members of both the ships for negligence under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, environment act and other acts.
If found guilty and convicted, they could attract a prison term of three years and a fine of Rs.500,000.
