Pyra

The fishing boat 'Paralogamatha' from Kanyakumari district sank after being hit by the 'Nus', en route from Port Jin Shan to Sohar, 25 nautical miles off the Colachel coast on the morning of Dec 11, 2024, at around 4.30 a.m. The nine crew members were rescued by nearby fishing boats, while the fishermen's associations urged the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to intercept the tanker, which continued sailing. The fishing boat had sailed for fishing from Colachel Port on Dec 4. The fishing boat was anchored after fishing during the day, and they were planning to start the fishing day by 6 a.m., At around 4:30 a.m., the tanker hit it at the stern, and it suffered severe hull damage. The crew attempted to salvage the boat, but the water ingress could not be controlled. Nearby boats arrived four hours later. Shortly after the fishermen were rescued, the boat sank. The castaways arrived at Colachel Port on the afternoon. They accused the tanker to have violated the SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) by not stopping and saving the drowning fishermen, apart from causing the accident and pleaded with the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard to stop the ship and take it to Mumbai or a nearby Indian port for investigation before it leaves the Exclusive Economic. The tanker was identified based on AIS readings of fishing crafts in the locality. The 'Nus'' last received AIS signal suggested that it was in the area of the collision on the morning, just off Tamil Nadu. The fishermens' group called on authorities to arrange for the ship's arrest on its arrival in Sohar on Dec 17. The 'Nus' has a questionable history. It is listed as a Comoros-flagged vessel, but its records show that this was reported as a false flag in April 2024, one month before the former 'Cape May' changed its name. Without a valid flag on its record, it may be a stateless vessel. Its last class certificate was also withdrawn in May. The ship was sanctioned by the US under the former name tin April. Its Dubai-based ship manager Oceanlink Maritime DMCC was also sanctioned, having been accused of carrying cargoes that help fund Iran’s military. The Treasury Department accused the company of facilitating the shipment of Iranian commodities on behalf of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and the country’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics. The last PSC revealed eight deficiencies in China in Dec 2023, relating to fire fighting equipment and appliances, lifeboats, the auxiliary engine, watertight conditions and electrical systems. In July 2023 the ship was detained in China with 16 defiencies. Reports with photo and video: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/madurai/fishing-boat-sinks-after-merchant-ship-collision-off-colachel-coast-crew-rescued/amp_articleshow/116206461.cms https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-lpg-tanker-sinks-fishing-vessel-in-hit-and-run-off-tamil-nadu

On Nov 14, 2024, at 2.45 a.m., the 'Nus' was boarded by five perpetrators, armed with metal rods, about 4.2 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Cula, in pos. 1° 2.73' N 103° 38 E . Nothing was reported stolen.