MUDGAH (UTTARA KANNADA): Two fishermen suffocated to death after inhaling toxic hydrosulphide gas while cleaning a boat in Mudgah fishing port, 15 km away from Karwar on Saturday.
This is the second such incident within a span of a week after three fishermen died and two were admitted to hospital at the Tadadi Port near Gokarna on October 27.
On Saturday, a purse seiner boat, Mookambika, had gone towards Goa and returned with a large quantity of chaman fish, which had decomposed by the time the boat arrived at the port. After unloading the catch, two workers entered the fish storage compartment, inhaled the toxic fumes emitted by the rotten fish and fell unconscious. Five others rushed in to save them and are in serious condition now.
The deceased, Purander Besara (21) and Aakash Naik (24), were daily wage labourers from Odisha. The boat is owned by Krishna, who hails from Malpe in Udupi. The fishermen at the spot said the two went in to clean immediately after the boat unloaded the catch that was stored without ice, as it is not edible fish.
“They fainted immediately because of high amounts of hydrosulphide gas in the boat. The lack of oxygen caused their death,” said Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police MN Deepan. Following incidents back to back, the district police and Department of Fisheries have taken up an awareness programme. “The district administration will come out with guidelines to catch, store and dispose of the fish which emits toxic gas to avoid such incidents in future,” said Deepan.
The Uttara Kannada Police took up the investigation based on a complaint filed by Lalindra Dharawa, one of the daily wage labourers who was hospitalised.
