Mangaluru: Dredger 'Bhagavathi Prem' runs aground

Dredger Bhagavathi Prem, which had started drifting away from the New Mangalore Port after its anchor snapped on Monday evening, ran aground at the Surathkal-Mukka beach early on Tuesday morning.

Mangaluru (Karnataka): A dredger that was anchored at the New Mangalore Port Trust Anchorage, ran aground at Surathkal-Mukka beach during the early hours of Tuesday.

According to reports, dredger Bhagavathi Prem, which had a 15-member crew, started drifting away after its anchor snapped on Monday evening, following which tugs from the New Mangalore Port were deployed to rescue the drifting vessel.

However, local fishermen alleged that the port did not put all its efforts to rescue the drifting vessel, and merely dumped it away from its anchorage which resulted in the vessel running aground.

The fishermen further rued that the crippled vessel will become a problem to their fishing.

Pertinently, another dredger Tridevi Prem earlier sank off New Mangalore Port outer anchorage in the first week of September.

Fortunately, the crew of Tridevi Prem abandoned the vessel after its pump room had started flooding.

Read: Operation to take out cargo from stranded ship to start today