KOCHI: The killing of two fishermen by an Italian ship crew in Indian waters might have grabbed global attention, but according to fishermen organisations, the death of fishermen at the hands of the crew members of merchant vessels is nothing new.Similar to the hit-and-run cases on our roads, as many as three incidents occur every year off the Kerala coast in which sailing Indian/foreign merchant vessels hit fishing boats and leave fishermen to die.“This is the first time that even the Coast Guard is showing such anxiety over the death of our fishermen. Every year, there will be at least three cases along the Kerala coast where fishing vessels are hit by larger merchant vessels. Since most of such incidents occur in the night, we would not be able to identify the vessel, which moves off quickly leaving the fishermen to die,” said Xavier Kalapurackal, president of the All-Kerala Boat Operators Association, an apex body of 17 fishermen’s organisations . Several fishermen’s organisations have been voicing their concerns over the lack of safety measures and the laxity of the Coast Guard. Last year, the Kerala Independent Fish workers Association had conducted an agitation in Kochi in this regard. The organisation demanded that a Marine Police be trained to ensure the safety of fishermen. “The Coast Guard does not act directly upon our request. Once we get the information from the fishermen, we send a letter to the Collector, who will then forward it to the Coast Guard. Such accidents often happen late in the night and we have to take the letter to the collector’s camp office and from there the collector has to forward it. All these procedures lead to serious delay,” said deputy director of Fisheries K G George Kutty. However, the Coast Guard has played down the allegations. “Had we not acted diligently, the Italian Ship would not be at the Cochin Port. We had always launched our search and rescue operations upon receiving information,” an official from the Coast Guard said.
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