VASCO: A trawler owner and a crew member were feared drowned, while four others were rescued as a second trawler capsized off the Vasco coast within a gap of two days.
Naval and Coast Guard helicopters were pressed into service for search and rescue operations into the capsized trawler ‘Maria Rosa’, while Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado said the government would pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.
Claiming that the fishermen had failed to pay heed to a warning by the Met department, Fisheries Minister Furtado, who rushed to Baina Beach to supervise search and rescue operations, also stated said the fishermen had also paid scant attention to the lifesaving equipment entrusted to them.
Narrating the sequence of events to Herald, Joao D’Souza said he along with his brother Francis (Laltan) had left the Vasco fishing jetty in two different fishing trawlers at about 6 am on Friday for the first catch of the season, after the fishing ban came to an end on July 31.
“I was closely trailing Laltan’s trawler, when a strong wave hit his trawler ‘Maria Rosa’ near the naval coast battery off the coast near Headland Sada,” informed Joao.
“The trawler quickly sank along with five crew members and my brother, Laltan. I immediately informed my colleagues at Vasco fishing jetty and they in turn alerted Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).”
He further informed that three crew members managed to rescue themselves and swam to a nearby rock.
At this point in time, an Indian Coast Guard Helicopter was pressed into service and the Coast Guard team managed to airlift the fourth crew member in the nick of time. The three other crew members were also pulled to safety by the ICG helicopter.
Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, who rushed to from Velim to the Baina Beach, told Herald that a warning had been issued by the Met department not to venture into the sea for the next three days.
“The crew wear life jackets while leaving the fishing jetty and they remove these safety equipment once out at sea, making them vulnerable.”
” to the rough sea,” said Furtado.
Asked what action he would initiate against those crew members who fail to wear life jackets while at sea, Furtado said: “I will make it compulsory for fishermen who go out at sea for fishing to wear life jackets.”
provided by the government at a subsided rate.”
“The government will also pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. The government will also try to compensate the loss of the trawler and other equipments,” he added.
Vasco MLA and KTC Chairman Carlos Almeida, who was present at Baina beach along with Furtado, DIG Coast Guard Manoj Baadkar, Coast Guard Commandant Askhay Jain, All Goa Fishing Trawler Owners Association President Sydney Furtado and officials of Drishti lifeguards, said he received a call at about 6 am and he had alerted police, Furtado and the Coast Guard.
“It was a coordinated effort by the trawler owners and other authorities to handle the situation and rescue those in distress,” said Almeida.
“I will convene a meeting with the Vasco trawlers owners, officials of the fisheries department and the fisheries minister and explain the importance of wearing life jackets out at sea,” he said.
“I will also explain the threat and the danger they face if they venture out at sea despite warning by the Met department, as lives are very precious,” he added.
Coast Guard DIG Manoj Baadkar told Herald that he received a call at 7 am and a helicopter was dispatched on a search and rescue mission at about 7.10 am.
“By 7.20 am, the helicopter had rescued four crew members. The helicopter along with a diver will continue the search of the remaining two crew members, who were trapped in the capsized trawler,” informed Baadkar.
In a press note, Navy stated that the Indian Navy and Coast Guard were requested for assistance by the fisheries department.
“Despite adverse flying conditions and high winds, Naval and Coast Guard helicopters were immediately pressed into service for search and rescue,” stated the press note.
