Two people are feared dead after a fishing vessel sank in the Arabian Sea off India's Kerala state on Saturday, March 7.
Police officials in Kerala said the locally-registered trawler St Joseph was at anchor 120 nautical miles offshore when she was struck by the Panamanian-flagged chemical tanker Solis in the early afternoon (local time) of Saturday.
The smaller fishing vessel became heavily damaged and sank within minutes, though nine of her crew were brought aboard the tanker shortly afterwards. Two crewmembers reportedly suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The Indian Coast Guard Aadesh-class fast patrol vessel ICGS Anagh diverted to the area later that same day and transferred the nine survivors to Vizhinjam, arriving there on Sunday, March 8. They are all presently undergoing treatment in hospital.
The Indian Directorate General of Shipping has ordered that an investigation be conducted to identify the events that led to the incident in preparation of the filing of appropriate charges.
The coast guard is continuing its search for the two missing fishermen.
Solis was en route from Oman to Colombo in Sri Lanka when the incident occurred.
