Fishing boat capsizes at Muthalapozhi again
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A fishing boat carrying two fishermen, Abi and Moitheen, capsized at Muthalapozhi harbour on Saturday. Fortunately, both fishermen managed to escape the incident without any injuries.
The mishap occurred in the morning when the fishing boat lost control amidst rough waves and collided with the breakwater, resulting in the boat capsizing. Abi swam safely to the shore, while Moitheen was rescued by fellow fishermen who were stationed nearby.
Prior to this incident, on July 11, another tragic boat accident at Muthalapozhi had claimed the lives of four fishermen. This tragedy led to a dispute between the state government and the Latin Church, as ministers arrived at the scene and engaged in a verbal confrontation with the fishermen and Church priests.
The standoff was eventually resolved through dialogues and talks. The local fisherfolk and relatives of the deceased fishermen expressed their grievances, stating that the government had not done enough to rescue the missing men and alleged that the authorities were reluctant to address the recurring accidents at Muthalapozhi. They pointed to the unscientific construction of the harbour as a contributing factor to the accidents.
In response to the situation, the state government planned to hold a meeting with the Adani Group, the concessionaire of the Vizhinjam port, to discuss the proposal of conducting dredging near the harbour to prevent further accidents. However, this meeting was postponed due to the passing of former chief minister Oommen Chandy and is now scheduled to take place next week.
Additionally, a team of experts from the Centre visited the harbour last week and is expected to submit a report soon, which may provide recommendations for improving safety measures in the area.