The Indian Coast Guard rescued 19 seamen off the Ratnagiri coast, as heavy rains lashed Mumbai and parts of the coastal Konkan coast of Maharashtra on Friday.
The Indian Coast Guard undertook the rescue of 18 Indian seamen and an Ethiopian master from the motor tanker MT Parth, a Gabon-flagged vessel.
The vessel, which was on its way to New Mangalore from Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, reported flooding at 0923 hours, around 41 miles off the Ratnagiri coast.
Within minutes of receiving the distress call from the vessel, the Mumbai-based Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre swung into action. Two Coast Guard ships patrolling in and around the area—ICGS Sujeet and ICGS Apoorva were diverted to the casualty ship.
International Safety Net and NAVTEX warnings were relayed to alert other merchant vessels in the area.
An advanced light helicopter (ALH), too, was deployed.
MV Wadi Bani Khalid was also directed to proceed for assistance to the Coast Guard ships.
MT Parth, carrying Asphalt Bitumen 3911 MT, experienced flooding in water ballast tanks and was dangerously listing. The ship was presently adrift.
The crew abandoned the vessel, which could sink.
MV Wadi Bani Khalid and ICGS arrived at datum at around 1230 hours. The ALH, too, arrived in the area and rescue operations were in progress. The owners of the vessels were requested to augment preventive measures for marine pollution.
Meanwhile, heavy rains were reported in the Mumbai metropolitan region with flooding in low-lying areas in several places. Road traffic was badly affected; however, the train services were running normally.