KOCHI: A mock drill to test the emergency response capacity of coastal security system brought a passenger boat in Kochi to the brink of a disaster when it wobbled dangerously as a result of the ripples created by three fast intercepting crafts of the Navy on Saturday.
The incident took place around 10.20 in the morning when the boat with 80 passengers was on its way to Ernakulam from the Fort Kochi side.
The State Water Transport Department was not having any intimation about the exercise jointly undertaken by the Indian Navy, Cochin Port Trust, Central Industrial Security Force and Coastal Police.
“No prior information was given to us, otherwise we wouldn’t have operated the service,” Ernakulam Traffic Superintendent M. Satyan said.
The boat, S-33, left Fort Kochi jetty at 10.20 towards Ernakulam and five minutes into the journey, the speed boats of Navy and Coast Guard whistled past the passenger vessel when the latter was nearing the Island jetty.
“The boat was wobbling dangerously in the impact of the rising waves caused by the ripples. With the Fort Kochi boat tragedy fresh in the minds, the commuters started yelling and moving out of their seats. This made the situation worse as water then started getting into the backside of the boat,” said Upendranath Prabhu, a native of Ernakulam, travelling along with his family.
A tragedy was averted with the crew, especially srank K. S. Pramod, showing presence of mind and giving instructions to the passengers to remain calm.
“I honked continuously to alert the incoming speed boats but they didn’t slow down till they reached near us. My first goal was to position the boat in such a way as to cut the swirling waves, thereby preventing the boat from toppling. We assured the passengers at the top of our voice that nothing would happen if they remain clutched to their seats. Luckily, the commuters heeded our advice. I shifted to neutral gear and shut down the boat engine,” said Pramod.
“If one or two speed boats come from one direction, we know how to balance the boat. Here waves rose from different directions and that made it extremely dangerous. We’re lucky that the boat stayed afloat,” he said.
The passengers, including Upendranath, filed a complaint with the station master about the incident.
Agencies silent on warning
The failure of proper command in communicating about the mock exercise seemed to have led to a panic situation in the backwaters for a few moments.
“The moment the crew members of the fast interceptor crafts came to know about the problem they lowered the speed. It took less than a minute,” said an official of the Navy.
But the agencies involved in the exercise remained silent on the failure in giving prior information about the exercise by passing on the responsibility.
A Coastal Police official said that since it is the Navy which leads such exercises, it was the responsibility of the Navy to provide prior information.
He, however, said that warning was issued to all boats operating in the area and a couple of vessels changed their course heeding the warning.
The drill was basically to test the emergency response in case of a terrorist attack or any other intrusion.
The drill was focused on MV Coral berthed at Q5 in the Ernakulam wharf. The fast interceptor crafts of the Navy were moving towards the vessel as the first layer of the security, when the incident took place.
