Rescue hopes adrift as marine ambulance remains out of service in Kerala’s Kozhikode
The Fisheries department’s Karunya marine ambulance, which has been out of service for over a year due to mechanical issues, is yet to resume operations
The Fisheries department’s Karunya marine ambulance, which has been out of service for over a year due to mechanical issues, is yet to resume operations despite repeated demands for a dedicated sea rescue service along the Kozhikode coast. In its absence, fishermen continue to rely on ordinary fishing boats during maritime emergencies. According to fishermen’s representatives, repeated requests to restore the ambulance service have elicited little response, with the Fisheries department citing financial constraints. They said their long-standing demand for a larger rescue vessel with better operational capabilities has also remained unaddressed despite recurring emergencies at sea. “We have been demanding either the repair of the customised rescue boat or its replacement with a larger vessel capable of operating safely in rough sea conditions.
As the repair has been delayed, the cost is only likely to increase,” said Mohammed Rasheed, a fisherman from Beypore. He added that there was no alternative arrangement for emergency rescue operations, forcing fishermen to deploy their own boats whenever distress calls were received. Karichali Preman, vice-president of the All Kerala Fishing Boat Owners and Operators Association and a member of the Beypore Harbour Development Committee, said the need for a dependable rescue mechanism became particularly critical during the post-monsoon season, when sea conditions turn rough. “The need for rescue operations by a trained team is particularly high after the monsoon, when the sea remains rough. An inoperative marine ambulance is of little help to coastal communities facing recurring sea erosion and other maritime emergencies along the Kozhikode coast,” he said.
According to Mr. Preman, fishermen have been left to shoulder the entire responsibility of rescuing those in distress at sea in the absence of an effective government-backed emergency response system. Recalling a recent rescue operation, he said local fishermen had struggled to rescue stranded fishers. The renewed demand has also revived concerns raised by fishermen and boat owners soon after the launch of the ₹6-crore Karunya marine ambulance in 2021. They had questioned the suitability of the 22.5-metre customised vessel for rescue operations during rough weather, arguing that its relatively small size and design limited its effectiveness in turbulent sea conditions. The All Kerala Fishing Boat Owners and Operators Association had then urged the authorities to deploy a larger, better-equipped fishing boat for rescue operations, contending that relying solely on the marine ambulance during adverse weather could endanger even rescue personnel.
The BriefWire