Visakhapatnam: The passengers on board MV Harsha Vardhana which was stranded mid-sea 14 miles from Vizag coast for the last 24 hours recollected their harrowing time to DC.
The Andaman-bound ship was stranded 14 miles from coast, with hundreds of passengers on board and it returned to Vizag harbour in the early hours of Thursday.
The passengers spoke of their harrowing experience during which the suffered from suffocation on the high seas since the ship was halted.
“If the ship was moving we could have experienced some breeze. Since the ship was stationary, and the AC didn’t work properly, we all suffered due to suffocation. The plight of our children was indescribable. I had travelled to Andaman so many times earlier but never faced such an ordeal,” said T. Mutyala Naidu, who works as a daily labourer in Andaman, at the Vizag port’s passenger jetty.
He hails from Kothavalasa in Vizianagaram district and has been living in Andaman for the last 20 years. Mr Naidu visits his relatives and other family members home regularly.
Most of the passengers vowed not to travel by the same ship, instead they said they were ready to spend more and take a flight to Andaman.
“After seven years, I was travelling to Andaman to see my parents who live there. Never thought it will happen like this. After my marriage, I relocated to Vizag where my husband does a private job. Now, I have decided not to go by this ship. Instead, even if its bit expensive I will go by flight. What would have happened if such a thing happened further away from the coast where there is no channel of communication available?” said A. Revathi, who lives in Gajuwaka.
There were some first timers who suffered sea sickness and said will not go by ship again.
“My grandmother lives in Andaman and I wanted to visit her this Dasara. Now I will drop my plans as I can’t afford flight charges. I suffered continuous reeling sensation and vomited several times due to suffocation,” said Setti Manikanta, an Intermediate first year student from Bimali in L Kota mandal of Vizianagaram.
Local relatives of the stranded passengers were also seen getting food for them.
1974 make ship belonging to Shipping Corporation of India and owned by Andaman administration is now undergoing repairs for the generator that was defunct since Tuesday evening which led to the stranding of the ship mid sea. The ship is likely to sail on Thursday night or Friday morning.
Officials from Shipping Corporation of Indi are monitoring the repair works. Mercantile Marine Department representatives who certify a ship’s condition also visited MV Harsha Vardhana.
“Technical experts are working on repairing the defunct generator. To avoid any inconvenience to the passengers the ship was called back to the harbour,” said Vizag port traffic manager, Nandanam Jaya Dev.
