Taiwanese fishing vessel meets with accident near Lakshadweep Isla

Kochi, Jul 16 (UNI) A Taiwanese fishing vessel with 33 crew on board ran aground in a reef near the Suhaili Island of Lakshadweep in the early hours today.

Coast Guard and the Lakshadweep Administration authorities were making efforts to rescue them.

The fishing vessel, Isabella III, is reported to have illegally entered the Indian waters while heading for Malaysia from Oman. It ran aground the reef near Suhaili Island at about 0200 hrs. today.

''The vessel is tilted at nearly 45 degrees. The crew members left the ship and are presently on Suhaili, which is an uninhaibited island. They will be brought to Kavratti for questioning,'' the Kavratti Port Officer Hamsa said.

Lakshadweep Administration officials and the Port Officer at Kavratti told UNI that while 32 of the crewmen had safely reached Suhaili Island, about 36 nautical miles south of Kavratti, one was missing.

A naval coast guard Dornier and a naval helicopter had launched surveillance operations and a ship of the Lakshadweep Administration had left Kavratti this morning to bring the Taiwanese crewmen to Kavratti.

The fishermen are expected to be brought to Kavratti tomorrow morning.

While there were no rains in the area today, the sea was turbulent because of the monsoon season, he said.

UNI ARC VV MSJ PM1816