- Swift coordination between MRCC Mumbai, Coast Guard District Headquarters Porbandar, ICGS Arush and ALH overcomes rough seas to save 21-year-old seafarer
- Open-sea evacuation ruled out as worsening weather forces Coast Guard to mount a daring air rescue off Porbandar
- Seafarer with acute chest pain and high fever evacuated from merchant vessel MT Murlikisan for urgent medical care
- ‘Vayam Rakshamah’—‘We Protect’—comes alive in a challenging sea-to-shore medical evacuation
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JULY 27
When rough seas made a conventional evacuation impossible and worsening weather narrowed the window for rescue, the Indian Coast Guard turned the Arabian Sea into a theatre of precision, courage and split-second coordination.
In a challenging sea-to-shore MEDEVAC operation off Porbandar, an Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) successfully evacuated a critically ill 21-year-old seafarer from the merchant vessel MT Murlikisan on Sunday, saving his life through a meticulously coordinated operation involving the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai, Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 1, Porbandar, Coast Guard Ship Arush and the Coast Guard ALH.
The operation, which unfolded amid rough sea conditions and worsening weather, exemplified the Indian Coast Guard’s motto: “Vayam Rakshamah”—“We Protect.”
Distress call triggers rapid sar response
The rescue mission was set in motion late on the night of July 25, when MRCC Mumbai alerted Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 1 (CGDHQ-1), Porbandar, that a crew member aboard MT Murlikisan had developed acute chest pain and high fever and urgently required advanced medical treatment.
CGDHQ-1 immediately activated a search-and-rescue response.
With an open-sea evacuation considered impracticable in the prevailing conditions, Coast Guard officials coordinated with port authorities at Porbandar early on July 26 to facilitate the merchant vessel’s movement into the inner anchorage.
The vessel was subsequently cleared to anchor and dropped anchor approximately 2.1 nautical miles off the breakwater by the forenoon.
Rough seas close one route—Coast Guard opens another
The rescue, however, remained far from straightforward.
Severe sea conditions, coupled with port berthing regulations, ruled out docking at the GMB Jetty. As weather conditions deteriorated further through the evening, the Coast Guard rapidly reassessed the evacuation plan.
With the conventional sea route effectively closed, the force turned to the skies.
An Advanced Light Helicopter was scrambled for the medical evacuation mission. In a demanding operation requiring seamless coordination between the ship, shore-based authorities and aviation assets, the ALH successfully evacuated the ailing seafarer from the merchant vessel.
The mission demonstrated the Coast Guard’s ability to rapidly adapt its rescue architecture when conventional evacuation options are rendered unviable by nature and operational constraints.
From open sea to immediate medical care
Following the successful aerial evacuation, the patient was brought to the Coast Guard Air Enclave (CGAE), Porbandar.
An initial medical assessment was carried out by an ICG Medical Officer immediately upon arrival.
The seafarer was subsequently shifted to Asha Hospital, Porbandar, for specialised treatment.
He is reported to be in stable condition.
‘Vayam Rakshamah’ in action
The operation once again highlighted the Indian Coast Guard’s critical role in safeguarding life at sea—not only through search-and-rescue missions but also through time-sensitive medical evacuations in challenging maritime environments.
When rough seas ruled out an open-sea evacuation, port constraints eliminated berthing and worsening weather threatened to further complicate the mission, the Coast Guard’s integrated response brought together maritime coordination, ship-based support, aviation capability and immediate medical intervention.
The successful evacuation of the 21-year-old seafarer was more than a rescue operation.
It was a demonstration of the Coast Guard’s unwavering operational promise:
“Vayam Rakshamah”—We Protect.
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