Kochi: The Ernakulam Coastal Police on Tuesday approached Kerala High Court seeking the documents the mercantile marine department seized from the Panama-registered ship Amber L involved in a mid-sea collision last month. The investigating officer T. M. Varghese submitted that the court had earlier directed the MMD to conduct a search in the ship and seize vital evidence including log books, voyage data recorder and chart.
The documents seized and the statements recorded by MMD are highly necessary for the investigation of the case. The documents are now in the custody of MMD, which also had recorded the statement of the master of the ship and crew, the plea said. The MMD submitted an initial report to DG shipping, and a copy of the report was received by the police. Varghese argued that if the documents are not obtained from the MMD, the investigation by the police could not proceed further.
According to police, MV Amber L hit a fishing vessel in the wee hours 14 nautical miles from the shore on June 11. Two fishermen were killed, and another remains missing. The police arrested captain of the ship, Georgianakis Ioannis, second mate officer Galanos Athanasios, and able seaman Zewana, and are now in judicial custody.
