Cyclone Tauktae: Navy Rescues 132 People From Barge P305 Adrift Off Mumbai Coast; Ops Underway

Earlier on Monday, after receiving messages to rescue 410 people on board two barges off the Mumbai coast. three frontline Navy warships INS Kolkata, INS Kochi and INS Talwar were deployed.

New Delhi: Hours before Cyclone Tauktae made landfall on the Gujarat coast, the Indian Navy has rescued 146 people on board a barge that went adrift in the Arabia Sea near Mumbai yesterday. Speaking to PTI, an official said that the Navy has deployed the P-8I long- range, multimission maritime patrol aircraft to join the search and rescue operations. “A total of 132 persons from Barge P305 have been rescued in extremely challenging sea conditions.,” a Navy spokesperson said, adding that the Search and Rescue (SAR) operations continued through the night for the remaining crew.

#CycloneTauktae#Update on Search & Rescue #SAR Ops
Helo airborne from #INSShikra Mumbai.#SAR for crew of Barge P305 in progress.#INSTalwar heading to render assistance to Barge Support Station 3 & Drill Ship Sagar Bhushan – adrift off #Pipavav Port (1/2). pic.twitter.com/y1AO84q1lF

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 18, 2021

Earlier on Monday, after receiving messages to rescue 410 people on board two barges off the Mumbai coast. three frontline Navy warships INS Kolkata, INS Kochi and INS Talwar were deployed. “In a separate effort, INS Kolkata rescued two survivors from the life raft of vessel Vara Prabha, and joined INS Kochi for the SAR of Barge P305 crew”, the Navy official informed.

Furthermore, the official said GAL Constructor, another barge with 137 persons onboard has been adrift off the Colaba Point, eight nautical miles from Mumbai coast due to engine trouble. “This vessel was approached by the Emergency Towing Vessel ‘Water Lily’ that arrived in its vicinity for rendering assistance. The barge continues to drift N’ly because of extreme sea condition,” he stated.

These ongoing rescue efforts are being augmented by naval aircraft and helicopters and the SAR efforts will continue through the day, the spokesperson stated.

(With PTI Inputs)