Two boats engaged in deep sea fishing near Malpe fishing port collided, resulting in one boat sinking. The incident occurred on May 17, in the early morning, approximately 12 nautical miles from Bhatkal. The boat named Maltidevi 11, owned by Gopala Suvarna of Vadabandeshwara, was struck by the Durga Boat due to poor visibility.
As a result of the collision, the plank of the Maltidevi boat broke, causing water to seep in rapidly. Within an hour, the boat sank entirely. Fortunately, all five fishermen aboard the Maltidevi boat, namely Tandela Suresh Kundar, Kalasis Shankar Kundar, Shankara Poojary, Yogendra, and Abdul Ghani Sheikh, were rescued by personnel from the Durga boat and Panchajanya boat.
Efforts were made to tow the sinking Maltidevi boat to safety, but the rope connecting it to the Gangolli port snapped approximately eight nautical miles from the destination. Consequently, the boat sank further, sustaining significant damage amounting to approximately Rs 20 lakh, including 2,500 liters of diesel, trawl net, engine, and other equipment.
