Cyclone Tauktae: Over 410 stranded in barges in Arabian Sea

The Indian Navy has launched a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation and prepared for a major Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

More than 410 persons are stranded in two barges in the Arabian Sea as Cyclone Tauktae wrecked havoc along the Maharashtra coast as it headed form Goa towards Gujarat.

The Indian Navy has launched Search and Rescue (SAR) operation and prepared for a major Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

As many as 273 persons are stranded on a drifting barge 'P305' off the Heera oilfield of Bombay High region in Arabian Sea, nearly 100 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast.

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INS Kochi has reached the site to undertake an SAR while INS Talwar would be reaching shortly.

"It is an accomodation barge and it has unmoored as the anchor broke off," sources said, adding that the sea state was "extremely rough" making it difficult to stabilise the barge.

With very rough sea conditions and wind speeds of over 100 kmph, the twin operations are taking time, leading to a cliffhanger-type situation.

In response to another SOS received from barge 'GAL Constructor' with 137 people onboard about 8 nautical miles off Mumbai.

INS Kolkata has reached the vicinity of the ship to render assistance - and may have to rescue the people in rafts and live boats.

The barge is closing land and hence the operation was very tough.

"Several other ships have been readied for HADR tasking in the wake of cyclone Tauktae that has wreaked havoc along the West coast of India," an Indian Navy official said.

Meanwhile, 6 khalasis on board a vessel are stranded and they are in touch with the Indian Coast Guard, which is trying to bring it to the Uttan coast in Thane district.

In the last four days, the Coast Guard and Navy ensured that 5,600 fishing boats along the west coast return to the ports and harbours and safe-routed 335 merchant vessel.