The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Water taxi sinks at Chennai port

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 04, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Water taxi sinks at Chennai port

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: A “water taxi” meant for use by the crew of the United States aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, docked alongside the east quay of Chennai Port, sank on Tuesday morning.

No one was on board ‘IMPAN’, the vessel, when it sank, said a senior official of Chennai Port Trust. Noting that it was on hire from Singapore with a logistics service provider-company in the city, the official said the passenger capacity of water taxi was over 170.

On the incident, he said according to information available with the Chennai Port Trust, the vessel hit a barge near USS Nimitz, which is anchored two miles off the port, late on Monday evening. The official said the rough seas could possibly have been the cause.

The water taxi was brought to the port limits and berthed alongside the east quay late in the evening. However, a hole had formed in the vessel and it took in water and sank on Tuesday morning. Attempts to retrieve the vessel made of fibre glass were on till late in the evening.

The Chennai Port Trust, the official said, was ready to extend assistance to the firm that hired the vessel if required.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section