KOCHI: The incident in which two fishermen were shot dead by security personnel onboard a merchant vessel off Alappuzha coast has sent shock waves across the coastline. Alarmed by the incident, fishermen’s organisations in Ernakulam have demanded measures to ensure their safety while on fishing. According to preliminary statistics, close to 25,000 fishermen go to sea from the Kochi coast of Munambam, Vypeen and Chellanam every day. “As many as 80 big fishing vessels each of which can accommodate 40-50 fishermen, more than 200 small vessels and around 1,000 mechanised boats operate from the Ernakulam coast every day. If the authorities are not able to ensure our safety, how can we go fishing,” asks K J Paul of the Kadal Matsya Thozhilali Union, Ernakulam.Of late, many merchant vessels have deployed armed guards onboard the vessel after the International Maritime Organisation issued consent for the same. The decision was taken following increasing pirate attacks. “We still don’t know how it happened. According to the information available from the fishermen, only two were awake during the incident and both have been killed. Whether the fishing boat went close to the Italian vessel or whether there was a shipping channel violation will be known only after interrogation. However we will issue warning to our fishermen,” said C A Latha, Director, Fisheries Department. Though coastal security agencies, including the Navy and the Coast Guard, have earlier issued warnings to fishermen against going near merchant vessels, most of the times it is not being followed. It is learnt that 'St Antony', the fishing vessel, was attacked after it went too close to the Italian vessel 'Enrica Lexi'. “We need to check for any shipping channel violations. Usually chances are less for a fishing boat to reach up to the merchant vessel,” said Manoj Joy of Sailors Helpline, Chennai.
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