Uncertainty hangs over the fate of five crew members of Pratibha Cauvery which ran aground near Adyar Creek

Chennai:

A crew member of ship Pratibha Cauvery, which ran aground 3.7 nautical miles south of Chennai Port near Adyar Creek on Wednesday, died and the fate of five others is uncertain when they tried to reach ashore using lifeboats just prior to Cyclone Nilam striking the Chennai coast.

The ship, which came to Chennai Port on September 28^th from Kolkata, was anchored outside the port after it discharged light diesel oil, port officials said. On 29^th the ship left for Mumbai and on October 8, it returned to Chennai and was anchored outside the port. It was on Wednesday, when wind velocity of nearly 80kmph hit the vessel, it dragged its anchor and ran aground around 2.21 pm. It had no cargo and weighs 29,000 DWT (dead weight Tonnage)

With the fear of Cyclone Nilam, which was expected to hit the Chennai Coast in the evening, 22 of the 37-member crew stranded in the ship tried to escape using lifeboat. However due to the rough seas they could not reach ashore. Indian Navy, Coastguard and Mercantile Marine Department launched a rescue operation. Sixteen of the crew were rescued of which nearly seven to eight have been rescued by the Indian Navy, a Indian Navy official overseeing the search and rescue operations said. however, Fortis Malar Hospital sources said 17 peop1e were brought to hosp1ital of which one person was brought dead. Search is still on for those who are still missing.

Deputy Conservator of Chennai Port Trust M K Sinha said the crew lacked basic knowledge and did not know that at the time of bad weather, staying in the ship is best to weather the storm. The 15-crew members who stayed back are safe and sound in the ship.

When Express tried contacting Coastguard, they said they are in the midst of emergency operations and would get back shortly.