Coast Guard rescues 4 sailors from boat off Mumbai coast after engine failure

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The Indian Coast Guard has rescued four persons off the Mumbai coast after receiving a distress alert from a Oman-bound boat had drifted away due to engine failure.

According to the Coast Guard's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), it had received a distress alert on May 31 from the boat, 'Lady Thuraya', which is registered at British Virgin Islands and was sailing from Male to Salalah in Oman.

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It was 590 miles away from Mumbai. "Reacting on the alert, the Coast Guard had raised an International safety net, wherein ships in the vicinity were requested to look for the distress boat.

"One of the merchant ships, MV Seacor Diamond, travelling to UAE was able to contact the sailing boat on the VHF on Saturday and was continuously guided by the Coast Guard's MRCC," a statement issued by the MRCC said.

It was finally located last afternoon 390 miles away from Mumbai, it said.

MV Seacor Diamond informed that all four crew of the boat were safe and healthy. The boat had drifted because of engine failure and no power onboard for the last three days, the release said.

Immediate assistance was provided to the crew, the ship and the boat which is expected to reach Mumbai by June 7, the statement said.