Two crewmen lose life in freak accident

Kochi, Nov 21 (UNI) In a tragic incident, two crewmen of a ship bringing petroleum products to the Cochin Port Trust (CPT), fell overboard and died, near the Ernakulam Wharf this evening.

Port officials said the accident occurred around 1830 hrs when the vessel 'M T Arun Kheterpal' was being brought to the North Tanker Berth from Ernakulam Wharf by a tug.

The rope between the ship and the tug snapped hitting the two crewmen who fell overboard.

The deceased were identified as Akhilesh Kumar Jha (25), a native of New Delhi who was a trainee officer and Seaman Ganesh Kumar Narottam Chauhan (19) of Gujarat.

Meanwhile, CPT Chairman N Ramachandran had ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Hospital sources said they were brought dead. The bodies would be kept in the mortuary for the night and sent for post-mortem to the Ernakulam General Hospital tomorrow morning.

The tanker was coming from Mangalore Port carrying cargo for HPCL Kochi, sources said.

UNI