India Detains Tanker and Charges Captain After Fishing Boat Collision
Indian authorities launched an enforcement action against the captain of a tanker and his vessel after it hit and sank a fishing boat on the southwest coast of India. The authorities are citing negligent operations of the tanker in the incident, which left two fishermen missing.
The chemical tanker Solis (21,181 dwt) had arrived from Oman and was departing from the port of Neendakara, located on the southwest coast in the state of Kerala, on Saturday, March 7. The tanker was approximately 70 nautical miles from Vizhinjam when it collided with a fishing trawler. The boat had 11 crewmembers aboard. Nine of them were rescued and brought to shore by the Indian Coast Guard, while two other fishermen were reported missing. The Coast Guard was undertaking a search and rescue mission.
The Solis is a Vietnamese-owned and managed product tanker. It is registered in Panama. It is unclear where it was heading, but reports placed it in an established international shipping lane. The collision happened in daylight around 2:30 p.m. local time.
The trawler sank following the collision, causing a financial loss for the owner and crew. In addition, reports said that one of the fishermen suffered a fractured back, and another also suffered serious injuries. The pictures released by the Coast Guard showed various injuries on each of the survivors.
A case was registered in an Indian court on Sunday against the captain of the tanker. It alleges a “defective and negligent” manner of operation, endangering human life.
The Director General of Shipping on Monday reported that the tanker has also been taken into custody. It was escorted at midday on Monday into an anchorage off Vizhimjam. A team of officials, including the Chief Surveyor from the Department of Shipping, boarded the tanker and began a preliminary investigation.
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A second team from the Mercantile Marine Department was expected to board the vessel on Tuesday for a further inspection. They reported that they would be taking statements from the 20-member crew, including the captain.
Indian authorities have reported several incidents of commercial ships hitting or running down fishing boats. In 2025, the fishing union complained that IMO regulations require vessels to operate just 27 nautical miles from the shore, and they assert that many ships sail closer. They also alleged that many of the larger ships do not stop after a collision. The group has demanded that the distance be doubled to move the shipping lane to 50 nautical miles, but it says Indian authorities have ignored this demand.