MV Lucky Seven Gets Stuck in Sandbar Off Miramar Coast; Four Crew Members Rescued By Coast Guard

MV Lucky Seven
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  • PG News July 17, 2017
  • 3 Minutes Read

The debacles related to Goa Casinos continue, as just yesterday the sixth casino vessel MV Lucky Seven got stuck in the Aguada sandbar off the Miramar coast while it was being brought from the Mormugao harbor to Mandovi river, where it is supposed to be anchored.

The vessel is the sixth offshore casino, which has been permitted by the state government to operate in Mandovi river. The casino is owned by Golden Globe Hotels Pvt Ltd (GGHPL), promoted by former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda.

The Indian Coast Guard rescued four crew members from the vessel that was stuck on a sandbar off the Miramar beach near Panaji. A Coast Guard helicopter was pressed into action to rescue the crew members. One of the crew members was injured while the other three were found suffering from sea sickness following the incident.

The license of the casino relapsed many years ago and it got a shot at making a comeback after Goa government agreed to renew its casino license in March this year, making it the sixth offshore casino on Mandovi River.

Deputy Inspector General of Indian Coast Guard Manoj Badkar commenting on the incident said, “The vessel got stuck in the Aguada sandbar off the Miramar coast. We received a call last night to rescue the crew members who were in distress,”

Reportedly, there were 15 more crew members stuck, including the vessel’s master on board, but there was no request to rescue them, Badkar said adding that the Coast Guard is in touch with the state government to help them in case of any oil spillage from the ship.

Aanand Madgaonkar, an expert salvager said that the crew members unnecessarily took the risk to bring the vessel in the Mandovi river from Mormugao harbor when it is well known that the Aguada sandbar area is closed for navigation during the monsoons. He further added that the vessel owner could have waited till September when the sandbar is opened for traffic and should have then tried to bring the vessel into the Mandovi river.

Madgaonkar said the ship owners would try to salvage the vessel when the tide is expected to be favorable. The vessel should be removed from the sandbar or else it could affect the Miramar beach.

Notably, the BJP-led Goa government had last month promised in its ‘common minimum program’ to shift the offshore casinos from the river.

A group of NGO’s in Goa too have been opposing the off shore casinos in the Mandovi river, alleging that they block the channel of the movement of ships. Some social activists have also claimed that the casinos are promoting social evils.

The opposition Aam Aadmi Party blamed Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for the mishap.

AAP Goa spokesman Venzy Viegas told reporters, “The ship drifted and ran ashore at the beach this evening. “Despite clear warnings from the Captain of Ports, Captain Braganza, who is an experienced master mariner, the government overruled his advice not to allow the towing of the ship to the Mandovi river in the current weather and rough water conditions. It clearly vindicates the AAP’s charge that this government, several preceding governments and all the politicians who are part of them are merely minions of the Casino lobby. An avoidable risk to the environment and a potential disaster has now been imposed on the state government due to the huge kickbacks and political funding received by the Parrikar-led BJP and all mainstream politicians and political parties.”

Viegas also asked the CM to should explain the “compulsion” behind his government’s support to the towing of the vessel “in spite of the forewarned risks”. He alleged that kickbacks and political funding were received by BJP and other political parties

Warning of serious ecological consequences, Viegas added, “the disaster could be grave. The ship runs the risk of an explosion and a disaster in the Mandovi waters. Manohar Parrikar and his government must shoulder the entire blame”.

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