This is exactly what I wondered this morning when i read BBC online
"disaster waiting to happen [in Bahrain]".

I am just curious to know what is the current status of over-full
ships or rather lack of frequent ships among islands. the last time I
travelled between Nicobar and Andaman I slept in the life boat as
there was no walking space. this is a common occurrence on these
routes. But these are disasters just waiting to happen, wihtout
knowing if even the life boats work or if the shipping crew are
familiar with their operation. Is this still how shipping is in these
Islands?


Shreyas





--- In andamanicobar@..., Pankaj <pankaj@l...> wrote:
>
> THE DAILY TELEGRAMS, April 3, 2006
> Fire on board MV Nicobar brought under control; no loss of life or
property
> reported
> Port Blair, April 02
> A fire incident took place in the vessel MV Nicobar on its voyage
from
> Port Blair to Kolkata. The fire was brought under control due to prompt
> action taken by the ship officers and the crew and no casualty or
loss of
> property has been reported.
> According to a report received the Directorate of Shipping Services
> today, the incident took place in the machinery room of the vessel
at around
> 1100 hrs today, while she was entering Hogly river on her voyage
from Port
> Blair to Kolkata, just about five hours from the Kidderpur port.
> The vessel, which has 1026 passengers on board is presently
anchored in
> the river in view of the non-availability of the required tide. She has
> already restored her own power system and will be proceeding to
Kolkata port
> to arrive there by 5 pm tomorrow.
> Meanwhile, while any one can contact Afloat Communication on
telephone
> no. 245555 and 231794 at Port Blair for obtaining any information in
this
> regard, a contingency cell has been formed at SCI Kolkata with
telephone no.
> 033-22487267 and 033-22482354, a communication from Asst Gen.
Manager, SCI
> Port Blair said.
>
> C/o Kalpavriksh
> Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
> 908 Deccan Gymkhana
> Pune 411004, India
> Tel: 020 - 25654239
> Web: www.kalpavriksh.org
>