Rohit Kumar
Port Blair, 29 August 2022
M.V Pilopanja was plying between Chatham and Bambooflat late in the evening around 7:30 Pm on 28th August 2022, when it suddenly hit a defunct Navigation Light Pole. The impact made the metal pole fall into the sea. The vehicle ferry was full of passengers and vehicles but no serious injury has been reported.
The cause of the accident is not yet known. Nicobar Times called up Senior Officers of the Directorate of Shipping Services but no one was available for comment.
Passengers present in the Vehicle Ferry during the incident informed that the boat was moving right towards the defunct navigation light pole before it made an impact. People started running towards the enclosed area of the boat as they saw the boat approaching the metal pole.
As the boat hit the Navigation Light Pole a strong jerk was felt by the passengers.
Passengers also informed that some crew members fully closed the ramp of the vehicle ferry which resulted in the metal pole falling off into the sea, otherwise the metal pole would have fallen right into the boat.
Some passengers also mentioned that the police arrived as the boat docked at Bambooflat jetty and took some crew members with them.