The Merchant Navy Officers Association (MNOA) has Demanded the Kerala government to immediately release on bail Captain Gordon Pereia who was arrested while the ship M V Prabhu Daya collided with a fishing vessel Don-1 at kerala coast on march 1. Addressing a press conference here today, the President of the Association Capt Sushil Shankar alleged that the Capt of the ship Periera was held unfairly without any probe on the incident and lodged in the jail.
He said it was suspected that on a voyage from Goa to China on March 1 this year while passing the coast of Kerala, the merchant ship Prabhu Daya collided with a fishing vessel Don-I resulting in the death of the fishermen onboard. He said in another incident a few days before this on February 15, also off the coast of Kerala(Kollam) in which marines on the ship ‘Enrica Llexie’ shot and killed two Indian fishermen, the Italian Captain, Umberto Vitelli was not arrested even though the offence was murder where the authorities have been quick to arrest an Indian captain of the Prabhu Daya for what might have been an accident.
He began his seagoing career in 1981 and his seagoing career spanning some thirty years has been acknowledged as a very professional mariner and an upright officer who would never knowingly commit an offence. He said the state should take steps so that any investigation they conduct to determine the cause of a maritime accident that occurs within their jurisdiction is conducted in a fair and Expeditious. UNI