Coast Guard rescues 19 people from flooded tanker ship off Maha coast

Mumbai: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Friday rescued 19 crew members including 18 Indians and an Ethiopian national from a tanker ship off the Ratnagiri coast in Maharashtra.

The ship was heading for New Mangalore Port from Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and carrying 3,911 metric tonnes of asphalt bitumen, the ICG said in a statement. It began to list dangerously after water flooded its ballast tanks, the maritime security agency said.

”The ship is presently adrift. The owners have been requested to augment preventive measures for marine pollution. The Director General of Shipping has mobilised an emergency towing vessel to proceed to the area,” the release further informed.

”In a swift rescue coordinated operation today, the Indian Coast Guard successfully rescued 19 lives at sea, comprising 18 Indians and one Ethiopian Master from Motor Tanker Parth, a Gabon flagged vessel. The vessel reported flooding at about 0923 hours around 41 miles west of Ratnagiri coast,” the Coast Guard said.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Mumbai swung into action within minutes of receipt of the distress call from the vessel, it added.

Coast Guard Ships ICGS Sujeet and ICGS Apoorva were diverted to the tanker and International Safety Net and NAVTEX (navigational telex) warnings were relayed to alert other merchant vessels in the area, the release said.

”A Coast Guard advanced light helicopter was deployed. Merchant Vessel Wadi Bani Khalid was also directed to assist the CG vessel,” the release said.