It was sheer coincident that within a period of few months had to deal with cases of two Korean ships entering our territorial waters in distress, both belonging to two different nations. Shockingly my experience appeared extremely contrasting.
A North Korean cargo ship while traversing from port Chongjin situated in sea of Japan was bound for Chittagong port Bangladesh, developed serious engine trouble. At time of this striking calamity, it was sailing through waters Andaman Sea. This motor vessel under “distress” drifted from the direction of Sir Huge Ross Island and was permitted to anchor in Indian waters by harbor master. Simultaneously the harbor master Port Blair notified police authorities for taking appropriate action.
Myself accompanied by Inspector Rattan Singh, boarded the distressed vessel for ascertaining the authenticity of its distress claims. As a standard procedure we entered Captain’s cabin for routine verification of log book entries made by him, radio officer and the Chief Engineer.
Failing in our endeavor to make worthwhile headway, we came down on main deck where entire crew had assembled to watch proceedings by the ‘alien’ authorities.
I had heard that North Koreans had a unique system of functioning. Under this system each Korean unit or establishment had a special political functionary for “steering the citizens” in rightful direction plus “this chosen one”, also functioned as mediator. Without much difficulty we located him among the motley crowd of sailors, from his distinct bearing and demeanor. Such a person happened to be hardcore party cadre specially kept to preserve, protect and propagate the sacrosanct party philosophy. To put it in simple straightforward words he functioned as their real “queen bee”. He operated like a daunting sheep dog, who not only corralled the crew to their respective work stations, but preventing them from going astray from towing the “rightful sacrosanct path” of party ideology. Once we took him into confidence, explaining the nature of our essential queries, our investigation became creamy smooth.
We were able to easily elicit required information within no time, plus carried out the visual inspections of engine room and other essential places. Their parent company had made arrangements for flying engineers along with spare parts from Calcutta (now Kolkata), who within 3/4 days they made the ship seaworthy and it joyfully sailed away.
The second incident occurred with a South Korean merchant liner originating from Ulsan port and bound for Yangon capital of Burma.
This ship drifted into our territorial waters off the Sister Islands and managed to reach within vicinity Ross Island, flowing in the southeasterly gale and permitted by Harbor master to lay anchor in the open sea. As per procedure we boarded this vessel to ascertain the tell tale sequence of events leading to its crippling situation.
The captain appeared to be in full command, the crew members promptly obeying his commands unquestioningly. The log book entries were in perfect order matching with the reported international distress signals flashed from time to time. Captain informed us that engine room was in a complete mess as a result of spilled engine oil, but for our satisfaction we had a quick visual inspection.
When we came out, our hands and clothes bore strains of thick black sticky oil. He courteously offered us cold Heineken beer from his small fridge, being run on a 5 Kilowatt generator, the only source of operational power on the huge vessel. His wife voluntarily prepared some fish fingers on the gas stove, displaying a highly appreciative gesture even when placed in such extremely dire circumstances. We successfully completed our task in a couple of hours.
While we were about to disembark from the ship, captain sought our permission for fishing in order to meet daily requirements of his sailors, since aliens they were restricted under Andaman fisheries regulation act. The ship speedily repaired and it sailed away jubilantly towards its destined place within a week of undergoing this calamitous distressful situation.
The aim of these anecdotes is convey that one race placed in entirely different circumstances being divided by a invincible barrier. One a free independent nation, but other one enslaved by its own narcissist sovereign. The epeople from North bore a highly woebegone melancholic look, extremely morose, appearing grim, filled with a perennial intimidating fear of an unpredictable and generally remaining crestfallen.
While their Southern brethren appeared to be brimming with a spirit of self confidence plus displaying a cheerful bearing of self-assuredness being clearly visible on their radiant faces.
One need not be a qualified psychologist to read the visible signs of happiness and gloominess on the faces of our fellow humans.
(Author of the article is former Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police )
