Mumbai: Navy planning underwater search for barge

An Indian Naval Ship carries out search and rescue operations

Indian Navy's search operation for drowned workers from the barge P-305 continued on Friday. The death toll has risen to 60 while the number of those rescued remains 188, including two workers of the tug Varaprada. There were 261 workers on the barge.

According to a Navy official, an underwater search by a survey ship has been planned to locate the wreckages of barge P-305 and tug Varaprada using specialised teams and equipment. All survivors and mortal remains of 60 people have been brought to Mumbai. As per the statement released by the ONGC, they too, have pressed OSVs (Offshore Supply Vessels) for the rescue operations to aid the Indian Navy.

Arjun MT is among the dead. His friends identified his body on Friday

ONGC further said that three construction barges of M/s Afcons working on a project of ONGC in Western Offshore fields in the Arabian Sea and one floater drilling rig of ONGC were severely impacted in the cyclone on Monday. All anchors of the barge P-305 had given away and it started drifting and hit an unmanned platform of ONGC, resulting in water ingress and eventually capsized around 5 pm.

Also Read: Mumbai: 60 dead, 15 from barge P305 missing; Navy continues search

Friends identify crew

On the other hand, the family of Arjun MT from Kerala, whose efforts at locating him were reported by mid-day on Friday, was contacted by officials from Mumbai on Thursday night. The family was asked to come to Mumbai and identify his body. On Friday, Arjun's friends identified his body. Arjun's cousin, Anish K Ramchandran, told mid-day that his mortal remains will be transported to Kerala on Saturday morning. Arjun is survived by his wife of three years.

An Indian Navy Seaking helicopter evacuates stranded crew members of barge P-305 earlier this week. Pic/AFP

Ramchandran said, "Arjun's parents are still in the village. His friends went to Mumbai to complete the formalities and bring his body. His wife is in the CRPF and is posted in Kolkata. She, too, has left to come to Kerala."

A Navy spokesperson said, "Some people are still missing and the Navy's search operation to find them continues."

Indian Navy personnel escort a rescued crew from barge P-305 earlier this week. Pic/AFP

According to ONGC officials, while the search operations will continue for few a more days, M/s Afcons is working on the compensation for the affected crew, which is expected to be operationalised soon. ONGC management has decided to extend an immediate relief of R1 lakh to survivors and R2 lakh for the deceased and missing persons' families. ONGC has also set up a helpdesk to extend help and will facilitate the dependent family members of the rescued crew in providing logistics and expenses.

261
Total no. of workers on barge P-305