Sinking in the Gulf of Mannar

When a cargo ship sank off the coast of Tamil Nadu, AOS worked with union representatives and other welfare agencies to care for the crew.

Cargo ship the M/V Geradu Empire was carrying cargo from the port of Tuticorin, south east India, to the Maldives in October 2007. The twelve crew members of the Maldivian ship were of Indian, Sri Lankan and the Maldivian origin. When the ship was 36 nautical miles from Kanyakumari, the engine room began to fill with water.

One of the crew described what happened,

“A huge crack had developed at the bottom of the 30 plus –year old vessel. The water gushed in and one of our crew members pressed his foot on the crack, hoping to prevent the water getting in. But he pulled out once the water reached his neckline, we tried every thing to stop the water, but nothing worked,”

Another crew member said,

"I tried blocking the water by placing sand bags on the crack that had developed. But very soon the water rose to my neck. I could smell death."

The captain explained how they were rescued,

"We noticed the water entering at around 11.30 am on October 16. We could not do much to stop the water inflow. Then we dispatched distress messages through the wireless and a German ship, M/V Scan Brazil responded by 2.20 pm. The rescue operation was completed by 5 pm."

Four days later, the crew of the M/V Geradu Empire arrived in Chennai where the ship’s agent arranged for them to stay in a hotel. AOS port chaplain Fr Anthony Baliswamy and ITF inspector Mr Sreekumar immediately started working together to help the seafarers. They became involved in discussions over payment of the crews’ salaries and compensation which was settled satisfactorily after six days.

The chief officer of the ship said,

“Since the time we arrived Chennai, we are thankful to Mr. Sreekumar of ITF, Fr Antony of Apostleship of the Sea and Mr Manoj Joy of Sailors Helpline for assisting in all possible manner, including our stay in Chennai and making arrangements to get in touch with our family and arriving at a settlement with respect to our wages and compensation.”

This story has a happy ending but it illustrates that the life of a seafarer is full of danger. In addition to threats of harsh weather and rough seas, seafarers’ lives are threatened by substandard ships. Some crew members of the M/V Geradu Empire claimed that the radio beacon, which indicates the ship’s position when sending emergency signals, failed to function when the ship was sinking. They also alleged that there was no emergency generator.

Fr Anthony wishes to express his thanks to the captain of M/V Scan Brazil who saved the seafarers from the sinking vessel.

Fr Anthony, second from left, with members of the crew in their hotel room

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