Iran ship tragedy: Manjeshwar survivors give surreal accounts of lucky escapes

coastaldigest.com news network

October 28, 2011

Manjeshwar, Oct 28: The two localites, who among the 60 rescued voyagers on board an Iranian flagged ship, which sank in the Persian Gulf last week, have returned to their respective homes on Wednesday with sound health.

“We saw death very closely, as we lost our 13 fellows on board, to whom we would never meet. The grace of almighty God and prayers of our parents saved us”, said Mohammed Haneef (35) and Avinash (25) after uniting with their family members.

While Avinash, son of Kumar and Shyamala couple from Hosangadi Koppal, reached home in the morning, Haneef son of AbdullaH Kunhi and Rukkiya couple from Uppala Peringady united with his family members in the evening.

The duo had started their career on board the sunken ship 'Syntek' as assistant cooks just four months ago.

“During the tragedy I was offering Namaz. I witnessed the death in the sea before my own eyes. The life jacket provided by an Australian on time helped me survive”, said Haneef, according to whom, the strong winds, which had begun to blow at 45km/hr speed, were the reason for tragedy.

Avinash said that he was preparing food in basement of the ship when it began to sink.

“Within eight minutes the ship was completely submerged”, said Avinash, recalling the most fearful moment of his life. He said that he managed to escape through a life raft and was picked up by a fishing boat which came that way two hours later.

Both of them had reached the shore around 8:30 pm, i.e. nearly three hours after the tragedy. Authorities rushed them to the Assaloyeh port hospital for treatment, before sending them to Mumabi via Tehran international airport.

However, both the survivors are worried about the fact that they have lost many of their important documents including education qualification certificates in the sunken ship.

13 people including seven Indian divers, who had stuck underwater, when the ill-fated ship, carrying 73 people sank about 20 km off the oil rich nation's southern Assaloyeh port, on October 20, have lost their lives. The tragedy occurred when the ship was advancing towards the port from an offshore oil rig near Tehran.

Avinash with mother Shyamala

Mohammed Haneef with father

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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