Coast Guard locates vessel stranded for 11 days after steering gear failure; towed safely to Honnavar
PANAJI
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Karnataka, successfully rescued 31 fishermen from the distressed fishing boat IFB Sant Anton-I, which had been adrift in the Arabian Sea for 11 days due to a steering gear failure.
According to an official release, on October 24, after receiving the information about the missing Goa-based vessel, the Indian Coast Guard Headquarters No. 3 (Karnataka) launched a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation. The fishing boat was last reported approximately 100 nautical miles off New Mangalore.
ICGS Kasturba Gandhi, which was on routine patrol, was immediately diverted to the last known position of the distressed vessel and a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft from Kochi was tasked for an aerial search to locate the missing boat, which had drifted significantly due to adverse weather conditions.
“Leveraging the Integrated Operations Centre and real time weather data, the Coast Guard plotted the probable drift and directed the ship to the updated location,” the press release stated.
The ICG said that the Dornier aircraft, on October 25, successfully sighted the fishing boat, enabling ICGS Kasturba Gandhi to reach the spot and provide critical assistance, including logistics support, damage assessment, and on-site repair of the steering system and ensuring watertight integrity of the IFB.
After stabilising the vessel, the Coast Guard ship handed over the distress IFB to another IFB to tow the IFB Sant Anton-I safely to Honnavar fishing harbour, ensuring the well-being of all 31 crew members onboard.
