‘Ignored Cyclone Tauktae warnings’: P305 survivors blame barge captain

49 people were killed when the barge P305 went adrift off the Mumbai coast during Cyclone Tauktae on Monday. The survivors on Thursday said that the tragedy could have been prevented if the captain of the barge, Balwinder Singh, had taken the repeated cyclone warning seriously. Rahman Shaikh, chief engineer of the barge  also raised concerns about the seaworthiness of the vessel they were in. P305, also known as Pappa 305, faced high-speed wind and swelling sea with 261 crew members onboard but lost anchors and smashed into an unmanned platform before sinking in the Arabian Sea.

In an interview with the Indian Express, Shaikh also said that the cyclone warning was received a week before it hit the coast and so the other vessels left the turbulent vicinity but the P305 captain conveniently ignored the calls despite being told by Shaikh about the same.

Shaikh also said that Captain Balwinder Singh downplayed the intensity of the storm.

“Captain insisted that wind speeds will not be high and the storm would last only for an hour. The entire incident happened because of the captain and client,” said Shaikh in a video, reported PTI.

Another crew member told PTI on the condition of anonymity.”P-305 probably had very little remaining work at the ONGC platform and wanted to remain anchored near the worksite rather than moving towards shore and return after a few days.”

According to news agency PTI, Captain Balwinder Singh is among the 38 who are still missing.

Meanwhile, an FIR, which includes charges of “causing death by negligence”, has been filed by Mumbai police against the Captain.