The Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday carried out resuce operations in the Arabian Sea near Porbandar coast in Gujarat after a distress alert was received from MT Global King due to uncontrolled flooding onboard, news agency ANI quoted an ICG official as saying. According to reports, the vessel is in position 93 NM West of Porbandar and on way from Khor Fakkan UAE-Karwar India, carrying 6000T of Bitumen with 22 crew onboard.
Even other agenices including merchant ships have initiated rescue operations and the ICG has deployed newly commissioned ALH Dhruv helicopters for rescue operations.
"@IndiaCoastGuardMRCC, #Mumbai is coordinating a flooding distress alert from MT Global king, 93 miles west of #Porbandar where 22 crew abandoned the ship," ICG tweeted.
Later on, the ICG said that it has rescued all the 22 crew members of the vessel. "Indian Coast Guard has rescued all 22 crew members from distressed merchant vessel MT Global King I. ICG vessels and ALH Dhruv were launched from Porbandar to carry out the rescue operations 93 nautical miles into the sea," ANI quoted ICG officials as saying.
This comes days after the Indian Coast Guard commissioned a squadron of the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III at its Air Enclave in Porbandar to increase surveillance across the Gujarat coastline.
An official statement released by ICG stated that the commissioning of this squadron will increase self-reliance in the field of search and rescue (SAR) and maritime surveillance.
The choppers have been commissioned to undertake maritime reconnaissance as well as carry out SAR at extended ranges even while operating from ships during both day and night.