Cyclone Nilam: Oil tanker 'Pratibha Cauvery' runs aground, 1 dead

An oil tanker with 37-member crew on board ran aground off the city coast under the impact of high velocity winds before the landfall of cyclone 'Nilam', leaving one person dead.

While the identity of the victim was yet to be ascertained, the condition of two were said to be serious, sources in Chennai Port Trust said.

The crew member drowned after a life boat carrying him and 21 colleagues capsized in choppy waters off Besant Nagar locality in south Chennai in high velocity winds just hours before the cyclone hit the coast.

Fifteen sailors were rescued on Thursday and a search was on for six other missing crew who were on board an oil tanker that drifted and ran aground off the city coast in high velocity winds before the landfall of cyclone 'Nilam'.

"Around 6.30 am, 15 people who were stranded on board the vessel were safely rescued by the Coast Guard", Chennai Port Trust officials said.

Search involving the Navy and Coast Guard is on for the missing six persons, the officials said.

The vessel 'Pratibha Cauvery' with 37 crew on board ran aground near Elliott's Beach in South Chennai, about 200 metres away from the shore.

One crew member drowned after a life boat carrying him and his 21 colleagues capsized in choppy waters while 15 others were rescued with the help of several agencies including Navy and local fishermen yesterday.

The ship belonged to Mumbai-based Pratibha Shipping Company.

Two persons were killed in Tamil Nadu as Nilam crossed the coast between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh border yesterday without causing much damage.

The 26,000 tonne (DWT) capacity tanker had two tonnes of light diesel and furnace oil when the mishap occurred,they said.

Cyclone Nilam crosses TN coast, 2 dead

Cyclone Nilam on Wednesday swept across north Tamil Nadu coast near Mahabalipuram, about 55 km from here, leaving two persons dead, including a crew member of an oil tanker that ran aground off the city.

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