Coast Guard orders probe into teen’s death in collision

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The Coast Guard has ordered an inquiry into death of a teenager on May 10 when a vessel allegedly hit a boat off Pamban coast, said Vice Admiral M.P. Muralidharan, director general of the Indian Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard is not aware of any of its vessels hitting the boat and killing a youth, but has ordered an inquiry, he told reporters after commissioning the Coast Guard’s new in-shore patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard Ship Rajtarang.

“As far as the Coast Guard is concerned, we are not aware of any of our vessels hitting it (the boat that sank). However, we have ordered an inquiry,” he said.

A high-level inquiry was in progress and he was in touch with Tamil Nadu government officials, he said.

“The moment the inquiry is over, we will let them (state government officials) know. I will inform the chief secretary,” he said.

Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa had taken serious note of the incident in which 19-year-old Calvin Miller drowned and directed the chief secretary to write to the Coast Guard to conduct a probe.

Other fishermen, including Santhia, Aruldass, Sinnasi and Devoss, were rescued by fishermen of another boat.