NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, AUG 18
In a swift and daredevil operation in extremely challenging weather and sea conditions, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Wednesday rescued 14 fishermen of Valsad from a sinking boat off the coast of Daman in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu using choppers in multiple sorties, officials said.
#Rescue #MissionAccomplished #saviour #GujaratRain #Daredevil rescue act by @IndiaCoastGuard
🎥 ⬇️@CMOGuj@seaandcoast1 @AllSeafarers@NCC_Dte_Gujarat @drajaykumar_ias @pkumarias @ahmedabad_info @InfoGujarat @TwitterIndia @PoonambenMaadam @ceodamandiu @Diu @dgpgujarat @FT pic.twitter.com/ErHAZXZW44
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) August 17, 2022
While 11 fishermen onboard a sinking boat were airlifted by a helicopter and safely brought to the shore in the afternoon, three others, who had refused to leave the boat earlier, were rescued in the evening, said Deputy IG and commanding officer of the Coast Guard Air Station in Daman, SSN Bajpai.
The Mumbai-registered Fishing Boat (FB) Tulsi Devi had started its journey from Krishnapur fishing harbour of Valsad in Gujarat on Tuesday and was headed towards Mumbai.
“When the boat was around 16 nautical miles off the Daman coast on Tuesday night, it experienced engine failure. As the engine stopped working, there was no power on the boat to pump out the water which ingressed the boat. Water ingress beyond a point eventually leads to the sinking of the boat,” Bajpai told reporters.
After the crew failed to start the engine, they contacted the Coast Guard for help, said Bajpai.
A distress call was received at 11:35 am on Wednesday, following which the Daman Coast Guard sent a Chetak helicopter from its air station at 11:46 am and within 10 minutes it started airlifting the 11 fishermen in four sorties, said Bajpai.
“The captain of the boat and two other fishermen refused to be rescued as they were hopeful of saving their boat by starting the engine. But, when they could not start, they were airlifted in the evening by our helicopter and brought to our air station,” said Bajpai
On arrival, a preliminary medical examination was undertaken and the fishermen were provided with first aid. All survivors were conveyed to their next of kin. The fishermen were later handed over to the authorities of Fisheries Dept, Govt of Gujarat.
