Palghar cops on alert as containers fallen from ship likely to drift ashore

Palghar police in Maharashtra have been put on alert following a message from higher authorities about the probable drifting of some containers from a cargo ship in the Arabian Sea, according to officials.

As per the police message circulated on Monday, 48 containers fell from the ship 'MV Phonnix 15' after it crossed 20 nautical miles from Salah in Oman.

The Directorate General of Shipping has informed that 48 containers from the vessel fell into the sea. Out of these, 8 containers have so far been recovered, while the remaining have either sunk or are suspected to have drifted towards the shore, it said.

The communication on Monday directed all Marine and Bay police stations in Palghar district including Safala, Kelva, Satpati, Tarapur, Wangaon, Dahanu and Gholwad to remain vigilant.

The message further instructed that if any floating containers or related materials are spotted by local fishermen, villagers in the coastal areas or patrol teams, the information must be immediately conveyed to the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and the Palghar police control room.

Additionally, the officer-in-charge of the security branch, Palghar, should be informed over telephone without delay, the message said.

The Palghar police have said continuous surveillance was being maintained along the Konkan coastline in coordination with the central maritime agencies to ensure safety and security.