Mateen Hafeez | TNN
Mumbai: It was a situation most sailors are prepared for, but hope not to be in. The crew of the M V Khalijia 3, which suddenly developed a leak on Sunday while still anchored off Mumbai, were glad to find land beneath their feet on Monday after more than 12 harrowing hours.
Rescued by a Coast Guard vessel, the 22 crew members—from Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Myanmar, India (including six from Mumbai) and Bangladesh—were exhausted, but excited. “We survived thanks to the Coast Guard and our captain,’’ Sarfaraz Bhombal, a sailor, said. While most of the sailors were reluctant to speak citing “discipline’’ on the ship, some spoke on condition of anonymity. “Though the ship was not about to sink immediately, we were worried with the increasing volume of water,’’ said another sailor. A third added that the crew knew to swim but was worried at initially not receiving any help.
And the first thing most sailors after the rescue was speak to their families. “Help arrived late at night, when along with life jackets and other items we were shifted to a Coast Guard ship. After reaching a safe destination, we spoke to our families to give them the news,’’ said another sailor.
An official from the Quadrant Maritime Pvt Ltd, a Navi Mumbai-based company which maintains the ship, said, “Those who are from Mumbai will be allowed to go home and come back soon to resume duty. Their families must be worried but we reiterate that it was not a dangerous situation.’’
Six Mumbai Port Trust technicians had been called to examine and control the water leak.
All the crew members had an experience of more than three years.
The Times of India, July 20, 2010
Mumbai: It was a situation most sailors are prepared for, but hope not to be in. The crew of the M V Khalijia 3, which suddenly developed a leak on Sunday while still anchored off Mumbai, were glad to find land beneath their feet on Monday after more than 12 harrowing hours.
Rescued by a Coast Guard vessel, the 22 crew members—from Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Myanmar, India (including six from Mumbai) and Bangladesh—were exhausted, but excited. “We survived thanks to the Coast Guard and our captain,’’ Sarfaraz Bhombal, a sailor, said. While most of the sailors were reluctant to speak citing “discipline’’ on the ship, some spoke on condition of anonymity. “Though the ship was not about to sink immediately, we were worried with the increasing volume of water,’’ said another sailor. A third added that the crew knew to swim but was worried at initially not receiving any help.
And the first thing most sailors after the rescue was speak to their families. “Help arrived late at night, when along with life jackets and other items we were shifted to a Coast Guard ship. After reaching a safe destination, we spoke to our families to give them the news,’’ said another sailor.
An official from the Quadrant Maritime Pvt Ltd, a Navi Mumbai-based company which maintains the ship, said, “Those who are from Mumbai will be allowed to go home and come back soon to resume duty. Their families must be worried but we reiterate that it was not a dangerous situation.’’
Six Mumbai Port Trust technicians had been called to examine and control the water leak.
All the crew members had an experience of more than three years.
The Times of India, July 20, 2010
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