Indian Coast Guard rescues 11 in a sea-air operation after merchant ship heading from Kolkata to Port Blair sinks

A picture of the merchant navy vessel taken during the rescue operation on Sunday night. Pic/X

The Indian Coast Guard rescued 11 people on Sunday night from a sinking merchant vessel en route from Kolkata to Port Blair, officials said.

The Coast Guard ships Sarang and Amogh, supported by a Dornier aircraft, undertook the operation in extremely inclement sea conditions, news agency ANI reported.

According to the Indian Coast Guard, the merchant vessel, ITT Puma, sank 90 nautical miles (nm) south of Sagar Island, which is around 100 km from Kolkata. The ship was heading to Port Blair from the West Bengal capital.

"The Indian Coast Guard conducted an unprecedented swift night operation, rescuing 11 precious lives in a coordinated sea-air Search and Rescue (SAR) operation. MV ITT PUMA reportedly sank 90 nautical miles (nm) south of Sagar Island, while on passage from Kolkata to Port Blair. Indian Coast Guard ships Sarang and Amogh, along with a CG Dornier aircraft, undertook this operation in extremely inclement sea conditions," ICG stated in a post on X.

Earlier on August 24, the Indian Coast Guard Dornier aircraft detected IFB Angel adrift owing to an engine defect, about 70 km southeast of Diu in the evening. The information was relayed to the ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Sub Centre (MRCSC) at Pipavav near the Gujarat coast. ICG Ship Rajratan was diverted to assist the distressed IFB with nine crew members amid rough seas. The boat was safely towed to the Jafarabad town in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, on August 18, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the newly constructed state-of-the-art Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre building in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

He also virtually launched the Regional Marine Pollution Response Centre, located at the Chennai Port premises, and the Coast Guard Air Enclave in Puducherry.

The buildings have been established to ensure robust maritime security and provide efficient responses to emergencies, reinforcing the country's commitment to maritime safety and environmental protection. This state-of-the-art facility aims to significantly enhance the coordination and effectiveness of maritime rescue operations for mariners and fisherfolk in distress at sea. It underscores the Government's resolve to protect lives and ensure a swift response in critical situations, read a statement, issued by the Indian Coast Guard. The Centre is installed with the latest equipment for distress monitoring through terrestrial & satellite systems and equipped with advanced communication systems for real-time management of alerts by highly-trained personnel of Indian Coast Guard, specialising in search-and-rescue procedures, with a rescue aircraft, ships and other facilities, the statement further said.

(With ANI inputs)