PALGHAR, Aug. 16 — A cargo vessel collided with a fishing boat off Maharashtra’s Palghar coast late Thursday night, setting off a tense rescue operation that stretched for nearly 17 hours before 15 sailors were brought to safety, officials said.
The accident occurred about three nautical miles from the shore around midnight on August 14, when the cargo ship rammed into the fishing trawler Shri Sai. The impact hurled four crew members into the water, though all managed to swim back aboard.
“A major tragedy was averted because nearby fishermen responded quickly,” a Palghar district official said Saturday. “The collision could have led to loss of lives, but the sailors managed to survive thanks to immediate help from other boats.”
Two fishing boats, Jai Sai Priya and Jai Sai Ram, reached the distressed vessel soon after receiving the SOS call. Crews from both vessels pulled the shaken sailors to safety and attempted to stabilize the damaged trawler.
The rescuers secured ropes around the vessel and began towing it toward Murbe port around 10:30 p.m. But rough seas and strong winds made the task extremely difficult, officials said. “Water kept gushing into the boat. At one point, it appeared the vessel would split apart,” the official noted.
The operation dragged on through the night as the battered trawler continued to take in water. By Friday afternoon, two more boats from Murbe joined the effort, strengthening the tow line and steering the damaged vessel toward safety.
“After almost 17 hours of struggle at sea, the fishing boat was finally brought to Satpati-Murbe port around 3 p.m. on August 15,” the official added. The Shri Sai had sustained heavy structural damage but was prevented from sinking.
Authorities credited the fishermen with preventing what could have been a large-scale disaster. “This courageous collective effort saved 15 sailors,” the district official said.
