Fishing boat capsizes in sea; crew rescued

Captain blamed for ignoring weather warning

KARACHI:

As many as 45 fishermen were rescued while drowning after their boat capsized near Hajamro Creek on the night between Monday and Tuesday, bringing relief to their families and communities.

The fishermen hailed from Ibrahim Haidari, Chauhar Jamali, and Juma Goth and were trapped in the unforgiving sea due to strong winds and high waves while fishing in the open waters.

The ill-fated boat, named Al Asad Ali, had departed Ibrahim Haidari, however, the hopes of the fishermen to return with a big catch of fish used in poultry feed, were dashed when they ran into gusts blowing at over 50km per hour.

Ultimately, the boat capsized in the Hijamro Creek, situated between Thatta and Badin, sending the 45 seaworthy fishermen fighting for their lives against wind and tide.

Initially, fellow fishermen attempted to rescue those in distress, followed by coordinated efforts from the Maritime Security Agency, Pakistan Navy, and Fishermen's Cooperative Society. These efforts led to the successful rescue of 43 fishermen, while two remained missing, prompting continued search operations. They were fished out by another launch and dropped at jetty on Thatta coast.

Read: Twelve die as boat capsizes in Khairpur

Nasir Boneri, the security in-charge of Fishermen's Cooperative Society, revealed that news of the boat's capsizing reached authorities at around 2:30am on Tuesday, triggering immediate response.

Boneri attributed the incident not only to the strong winds but also to the captain's decision-making. Most of the fishermen hailed from Ibrahim Haidari, with four from Chauhar Jamali and ten from Juma Goth.

According to Kamal Shah, spokesperson for the Coastal Media Centre, the boat sinking occurred approximately four hours away from Karachi.

On Tuesday, 28 survivors came back to the fishing village.

The safe reunion called for joyous celebrations at the humble locality. Meanwhile, the families of the remaining 17 fishermen anxiously waited for their return.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2024.