MV Pavit’s route remains untraced
Shipping authorities here have still not traced the route that merchant vessel MV Pavit followed to reach Mumbai following unfavourable weather conditions,
The grounded oil tanker drifted from the Oman coast to the city’s Juhu-Versova beach in July last year.
According to officials, they failed in tracing the route because of the weather conditions between June-August and said the route will always remain a “mystery”.
“We wanted to reconstruct the route with the help of satellite imagery, but at that time monsoon was prevalent and the entire area was covered with clouds. We are therefore not successful in tracing the route,” said an official from the Directorate General of Shipping.
Also, no one even spotted this vessel drifting or else we would have alerted the concerned authorities, the official said.
After the vessel ran aground at Juhu, an investigation was launched to ascertain the cause of it floating getting adrift unmanned to the shores of Mumbai.
The ship had started drifting off the Oman coast on June 29 due to engine failure and ingress of water in the engine room.
All the 13 Indian crew members were rescued by a warship before it finally ran aground on July 31. The ship was later moved to Dabhol Port.
Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/