Chennai: Madurai bench of Madras HC has directed minister of external affairs to file its reply on steps taken to trace the Indian sailors in who went missing in Russian waters recently.
When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, two officials of Indian Coast Guard appeared before the division bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S.S. Sundar.
The bench expressed displeasure at the counsel for not understanding the scope of the petition. The bench pointed out that their (Coast Guard's) authority is restricted to Indian waters. Hence, it sought response from external affairs ministry.
The bench said in the failure to submit an appropriate response, they would be forced to summon the officials of the external affairs ministry. Later, the bench adjourned the hearing to February 25.
In January, about 14 seafarers were reported dead after fire broke in two ships carrying Indians, Turks and Libyans in the Kerch Strait. A few went missing and two among them are from Tamil Nadu. Last week the court had asked the Director General of Shipping if they had taken effective steps to set up an Indian Maritime Casualty Investigation cell as per the supreme court directions and directed the authorities to report on the whereabouts of the missing sailors.
