The wreck of Sea Empress jutting out of the water nearly 10 nautical miles off Colaba a fishing trawler anchored near the wreck round the clock, warning fishermen from approaching the area.

MUMBAI, August 25: The wreck of the merchant vessel Sea Empress, which sank off Mumbai on August 2, has claimed three fishing trawlers within days of the start of the fishing season this month.

The disasters, which could have been easily averted had the authorities placed a beacon on the wreck, have left Mumbai's fishing community livid. ``When a ship sinks, it is mandatory for the government and the port to at least mark the spot with a warning signal,'' Vijay Bandarkar of Maharashtra Fish Trawlers Owners Association (MFTOA) told Express Newsline.

The St Vincent-flagged ship owned by Bayat group of companies in Dubai was carrying a 4200-tonne sulphur cargo when it developed a leak and sank on August 2. The vessel went down in 10 metres of water, approximately 10 nautical miles off Colaba, a day after the 19-member crew were rescued.

The Mumbai Port Trust had issued a local notice to mariners on August 4 giving the exact position of the wreck. The notice stated that the mast and funnel of the wreck were visible and were dangerous to navigation. Mariners have been warned to exercise extreme caution while navigating in the area.

The notice seems to have overlooked the illiterate fishermen, who sail on the 2000-odd trawlers, operating from fishing docks at Sassoon Dock and Ferry Wharf, without even rudimentary navigational instruments. ``How do we know where the wreck is at night, or at high tide when the ship is submerged?'' asks Bandarkar.

Three boats, including the `Bhadrakali Mata' and `Nilkanteshwari' hit the wreck and sank immediately on three consecutive days between 12 and 15 August, fortunately without any loss of life. Survivors, nearly 8 in each boat, were picked up by accompanying fishing vessels. The Karanja Machimar Society, which represents fishermen in the Sassoon Docks, has dashed off letters to the department of fisheries about the incident, but there has been no response from the government so far. Now, fishermen themselves have devised a crude but efficient system to warn their brethren. A fishing trawler equipped with a flashing light and a revolving klaxon is anchored at the site round the clock. The society bears a daily cost of nearly Rs 5000 to maintain the boat and four fishermen at the spot. ``No trawler now goes within a kilometre of the spot,'' said Ramesh Nakhwa, a trawler owner.

Fisherfolk said only yellow masts of the wreck are visible in daylight at low tide. These metal structures act as deathtraps, lurking just below the sea surface and tearing into wooden hulls of unwary fishing trawlers.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.