CANACONA
According to sources, the incident took place at about 9 am when the fibre fishing boat reportedly belonging to Kritesh Pagui from Tarir-Canacona, was close to the shore and had netted in a huge catch of fish.
As the 10 fishermen attempted to pull the catch into the boat, it began to tilt while strong waves rocked the boat. Within a short while, the boat capsized and all 10 fishermen were thrown into the sea.
Noticing the distress, lifeguards on duty at Agonda beach rushed in with their jet ski and rescue boards. They helped some fishermen struggling in the sea, while others managed to swim ashore to safety. One fishermen, Santosh Pagui, who reportedly jumped off the boat moments before it turned turtle, sustained minor injuries after he accidentally hit the boat.
Noticing him gasping for breath, lifeguards rescued him and rushed him to the Canacona Community Health Centre, where he was declared out of danger.
With all fishermen rescued, efforts were mobilised to pull the capsized boat ashore.
A JCB was summoned, but it got stuck in the soft sand when the operator tried to move it as close to the sea as possible. The JCB however managed to approach from another route. By tying a rope to the capsized boat, the JCB managed to pull it ashore.
Former Agonda sarpanch and sitting panch Pramod Phaldessai, who rushed to the shore along with hundreds of concerned residents, told The Goan, "People engaged in tourism have blocked all available access to the beach. As a result, when such emergencies take place, it becomes difficult to bring in machinery and equipment to the shore."
Some even criticised the fishermen for taking the boat dangerously close to the shore, thereby coming into contact with the strong waves.
"Motorized boats and fishing trawlers should not be fishing so close to the shore and have to maintain a prescribed distance from the shore. By violating these norms, some fishermen not only jeopardise traditional fishing activity, but also put their own lives in danger," said a local resident present at the shore.
