Navy rescues 20 from stranded ship

In a daring operation braving sea winds and heavy rain, Navy and Coast Guard (ICG) personnel rescued 20-member crew from a general cargo ship, MV Jindal Kamakshi, that listed (leaning on its side) in the Arabian Sea nearly 25 nautical miles off the coast of Vasai in Palghar district, on Monday. 

The ship was still leaning on its side in the evening. The vessel may sink due to the rolling and pitching and the present climatic condition and pose a threat of oil pollution in the Exclusive Econonmic Zone (EEZ). The situation is being constantly monitored, said officials of Western Naval Command (WNC), the sword arm of the Indian Navy.  

The 7,000-tonne ship was on its way from Mundra port in Gujarat to Kochi port in Kerala and was carrying containers loaded with general cargo. The ship started tilting around 10 pm on Sunday and at 11 pm, the master sent out a distress message to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Committee (MRCC).

“Despite heavy winds, rain and poor visibility, the Indian Navy immediately launched a SeaKing Helicopter at 12:15 am.  The helicopter went overhead the stranded vessel and made a visual assessment before returning to Mumbai. The destroyer INS Mumbai was brought to immediate readiness and sailed out at 2 am,” a Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

For ascertaining the emergency on board, MRCC-Mumbai also coordinated with other merchant mariners in the vicinity MV SCI, Samudra Prabha, MV Seamac 1 and MV Kamat to render assistance to the distress vessel. 

In addition, the other Coast Guard ships were also alerted to provide assistance. The vessel under distress was listing 20 degrees but the it was subsequently reduced to 10 degrees. Around 4 am on Monday, the ship requested for evacuation of the crew. 

The ICG being the National Maritime Search and Rescue Coordinating  Authority, launched Chetak helicopters from Daman and Mumbai. In addition, Coast Guard requested the Navy to launch a Sea King helicopter for assistance as the weather in the area was bad.  

The aviators undertook a daring operation and 19 were winched up by SeaKing and later the master of the ship by a Chetak heliopter of the ICG. The crew members were taken to the INS Shikra base here. 

Presently, destroyer-class ship INS Mumbai, specialised pollution control vessel ICGS Samudra Prahari and ICG aircraft has been deployed to monitor the stranded vessel.