Kerala: Speed boat driver’s daredevilry saves three fishermen from uneven sea

Express News Service

KASARAGOD: A ship accident on the mouth of Keezhur harbour would have turned tragic identical to on July 4 if not for a velocity boat driver who audaciously rescued three fishermen.

The coastal police — crippled by the dearth of a rescue boat — might solely stand and watch. Babeesh Balakrishnan (26), the velocity boat driver, swam almost 3km within the tough sea to achieve the three fishermen. He used the gasoline jerry cans to make swim buoys for Abdul Rahman (40) and Munamber (42) and introduced them to security. He returned once more, threw the youngest fisherman, Mohammed Ajmal (20), on his shoulder, and swam again to security.

“My son does not swim well. That’s why Babeesh got him on his shoulders,” mentioned Ahmed, father of Ajmal.

Babeesh BalakrishnanBekal coastal police inspector Rakeesh mentioned the ocean off Keezhur in Chemnad panchayat to Thalangara in Kasaragod might be termed as essentially the most harmful in Kerala. This is identical place the place three fishermen drowned on July 4, he mentioned.

On July 4, a fishing boat capsized when it was nearing Keezhur harbour. Three fishermen, Karthik (19), Ratheeshan (30), and Sandeep (33) drowned. Four others, Ravi (40), Shibin (30), Manikuttan (35), and Sasi (30) swam to security. Then, too, the coastal police stood helpless.

“We urgently need a rescue boat at Bekal coastal station,” mentioned the inspector. The station has a five-tonne velocity boat which can’t be taken out when the ocean is tough.

“The speed boat can ferry only three persons and will be flipped by fiery waves,” he mentioned.

The coastal police require a 12-tonne boat with a deck that may carry round 13 individuals. “Only big boats will hold steady in these conditions,” he mentioned. The Department of Fisheries has such a ship stationed at Trikaripur coastal police station catering to the fishermen from Nileshwar to Madakara harbour.

Lucky trio

On Friday, Mohammed Ajmal (20), Ashraf Bepul, and Munamber took their small fibre boat to the ocean. They tried their luck at 55km off the coast however couldn’t discover any fish, mentioned Ajmal’s father Ahmed.

On Saturday, they got here nearer and have been fishing 30km from the coast, he mentioned.

“We don’t know if they caught any fish. Sunday morning they were heading home,” he mentioned.

At 8.30 am, after they have been round 3km from the coast, the tough tide flipped their boat on the mouth of the harbour, which has robust undercurrents, mentioned Ahmed. The fishermen clung to the overturned boat for one-and-half hours.

Around 10 am, Sidique, a Keezhur resident, known as Babeesh Balakrishnan of Bekal.

“He called me because I’m also a fisherman and know the sea well,” Babeesh mentioned.

On reaching Keezhur, he noticed the police and different fishermen ready by the shore. The boats of the fishermen have been additionally small. Babeesh didn’t assume and took the plunge into the ocean. That saved the day for the fishermen. The three fishermen have been admitted to a hospital with minor accidents. After a few hours, the opposite fishermen and Babeesh towed the capsized boat to the shore.