Kochi: Captain, 2 crew members of Panama ship that hit fishing boat detained

The captain and two crew members of a Panama cargo ship, which collided with a boat killing two fishermen off the Kochi coast last month, have been taken into custody. 

Captain Georgiannakis Ioannis, a Greek national who was commanding the vessel, Second Officer Galanos Athanasios, also a Greek national who was keeping a navigational watch on the bridge, and Zewana, a Myanmar national who was the designated Able Seaman, have been taken into custody, a coastal police official said.

Panama ship 'Amber L' involved in collision, MMD orders detention

The trio has been brought to the shore from the ship anchored in the premises of the Cochin Port Trust. The Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), Kochi, which conducted an inquiry into the collision that took place off the coast, had ordered the detention of the ship, Amber L, at Kochi till further orders. 

In its "initial report" of the incident, submitted to the Directorate General of Shipping on June 15, the MMD had said based on digital and physical evidence, it had prima facie concluded that "the Panama Flag Bulk Carrier, Amber L, is the merchant ship involved in the collision with the Indian fishing boat, Carmel Matha, at about 0223 hours on June 11 off the Kerala coast." 

2 killed as Panama cargo ship hits fishing boat off Kochi

Two fishermen were killed and 11 others injured when the merchant ship hit their fishing boat. Of the 14 crew members on board the boat, 11 were rescued by other such vessels in the vicinity and two bodies were recovered. One fisherman from Assam is still missing.

• Kochi
• Panama cargo ship
• fishing boat