The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued 12 crew members of a sinking supply vessel in the Arabian sea off the Gujarat coast, it said on Sunday.
The operation was carried out on Saturday after a distress message was received by the Mumbai-based ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) at around 11 am, a Defence release said.
The Motorised Supply Vessel (MSV) was reported to be heavily flooded and sinking. As it eventually sank, all the 12 Indian crew were taken onboard Motor Tanker (MT) Searanger.
The call was made regarding uncontrolled flooding onboard Indian MSV, 'Nigahen Karam' which was on her passage to Djibouti.
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After receiving the call, the MRCC alerted all the vessels operating in the vicinity of the spot and coordinated with MRSC (Maritime Rescue Sub Centre), Porbandar to divert a Motor Tanker (MT) Searanger to provide immediate assistance to the vessel, the release said.
"In addition, the ICG ship 'Sarthak' operating in the area was also diverted and the ICG fast interceptor class of ship C-152 was immediately sailed from Vadinar (in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat).
"The crew members were transferred from MT Searanger to the ICG ship and brought to Vadinar. After a preliminary medical investigation, they were handed over to the owner of the vessel," it said.
