Cyclone Tauktae: Indian Navy Intensifies Search Op As Over 125 Missing After Barge P305 Sinks Off Bombay High

Till 11 pm on Monday, the Navy had managed to rescue a total of 60 persons from Barge P305 -- 42 by INS Kochi and 18 by offshore support vessel Energy Star in extremely challenging sea conditions. 

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Mumbai: The Indian Navy has rescued at least 177 of the 273 personnel of the Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) after Barge P305 went adrift and subsequently sunk at Bombay Hight some 175 kms from Mumbai after de-anchoring as Cyclone Tauktae made landfall on the Western coasts on Monday, creating havoc in several cities. 

The Navy had deployed three of its frontline warships after receiving messages to rescue 410 people on board two barges off the Mumbai coast. The ships deployed to extend assistance to the two barges were INS Kolkata, INS Kochi and INS Talwar.

"A total of 177 persons from Barge P305 have been rescued in extremely challenging sea conditions," a Navy spokesperson said on Tuesday morning.

Till 11 pm on Monday, the Navy had managed to rescue a total of 60 persons from Barge P305 -- 42 by INS Kochi and 18 by offshore support vessel Energy Star in extremely challenging sea conditions. 

According to media reports, INS Kolkata rescued two survivors from the life raft of vessel Vara Prabha, and joined INS Kochi for the SAR of Barge P305 crew. 

Indian Navy’s Eye in the Sky, the P-8I aircraft has also been roped in to look for survivors at sea. A slight improvement in weather conditions has enabled naval helicopters to fly over the seas.

INS Talwar, on the other hand, is proceeding to render assistance to another oil rig Sagar Bhushan with 101 personnel onboard and an accommodation barge SS-3 with 196 personnel onboard, both of which are adrift and presently located about 50 nautical miles south east of Pipavav Port

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Ministers of cyclone-affected States-Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat, and Administrators of Union Territory Dadra And Nagar Haveli to take an update about the situation, and about any help they required from Centre

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani also held a high-level review meeting on cyclone situation and rainfall conditions in the state, specially in the 14 coastal districts.