Deposit Rs6 crore before moving Pratibha Cauvery: HC

The Madras High Court Wednesday directed that the beached oil tanker Pratibha Cauvery should deposit Rs6 crore towards compensation for the death of six sailors before moving out of Chennai Port waters, an advocate said.

"Hearing the case filed by the relatives of a dead sailor, the court ordered that the ship should not sail out of Chennai waters without depositing Rs6 crore towards compensation," S Prabakaran, counsel for M Shankaranarayanan, told IANS.

Shankaranarayanan is the brother of Anand Mohandas, a crew member of the oil tanker who drowned October 31. On the day, Pratibha Cauvery, anchored outside the Chennai Port area, was pushed by strong cyclonic winds to the beach. Six sailors died when their life boat capsized.

"It was argued that the ill fated ship was in the Indian waters for several days. The ship did not have the certificate of seaworthiness. The ship had a crew of 37 people who were not provided food and salary, and no criminal action has been taken against the ship owner," Prabakaran said.

According to an official of Pratibha Shipping that owns the ship, the crew has been insured with Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club while the vessel is insured with New India Assurance Company Ltd.