New Delhi: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully rescued two crew members aboard the US-flagged sailing vessel Sea Angel, which had become stranded around 52 nautical miles southeast of Indira Point.
The operation concluded on Friday morning, with ICG personnel towing the disabled vessel to Campbell Bay harbour.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the incident occurred on July 10 amid extreme sea conditions. The yacht was rendered inoperative due to a blown sail and an entangled propeller.
Upon receiving a distress alert, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Port Blair activated rescue protocols and alerted nearby merchant vessels. ICG Ship Rajveer was swiftly dispatched to the scene.
After establishing communication with the crew, the Coast Guard conducted an on-site assessment and confirmed that both individuals were safe and in good health, despite mechanical failure and harsh weather.
According to the rescue team, the Sea Angel was successfully towed and escorted to safety at Campbell Bay harbour, marking the completion of the operation.
The MoD stated that this mission “once again highlights the Indian Coast Guard’s prompt response capabilities and commitment to ensuring maritime safety in the region.”
A few days earlier, the Indian Navy demonstrated rapid operational readiness in a separate high-risk mission in the North Arabian Sea. On June 29, naval personnel responded to a distress call from the Palau-flagged tanker MT Yi Cheng 6 and launched a firefighting and rescue operation.
The Navy “successfully stabilised the situation and ensured the safety of 14 Indian crew members”. INS Tabar, deployed on a mission-based assignment, received a Mayday call reporting a severe fire in the tanker’s engine room. At the time, the vessel was operating about 80 nautical miles east of Fujairah, UAE.
Responding at maximum speed, INS Tabar reached the vessel’s vicinity, “established communication with the Master of the vessel and commenced fire-fighting operations.”
(inputs from IANS)