THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On June 20, 40-year-old fisherman Carlos and his co-worker fell into the sea as an enormous wave threw them off the boat. The four remaining on-board were unable to save Carlos and his friend, despite being just 50 metres away from the coast of Anchuthengu. The Navy, coast guard and coastal police failed in finding the drowned fishermen. Five days later, Carlos' body washed up ashore in Kovalam.
As many as 253 marine accidents were reported at the Vizhinjam Coastal Police Station from February 2009 till February 2018. A survey conducted by the Marine Enforcement revealed that most fishermen do not wear life jackets while fishing. This comes after repeated warning from the coastal police. According to the Fisheries Department officials, life jackets are mandatory while fishing. But as fishermen refuse to adhere to the rules, the Department plans to islap violators with fines.
They have also distributed 6,000 life jackets among fishermen across 22 villages from Pozhiyoor to Varkala. A minimum of four life jackets were distributed to each boat. Originally priced at Rs 2,500, they were sold for Rs 250 each to the fishermen.
The Department will soon provide jackets to the rest of the fishermen and conduct awareness programmes to ensure fishermen wear life jackets to avoid the intensity of marine accidents.
However, fishermen across the district say it is not feasible to wear life jackets while fishing. "Wearing a life jacket would be easy as long as we sit idle on the boat. But it is highly uncomfortable to fish in the sea while wearing a life jacket," said Thomas Levis, a fisherman from Shankumugham.
life jackets supplied
The Fisheries Department distributed 6,000 life jackets among fishermen across 22 villages from Pozhiyoor to Varkala