Indian Coast Guard rescues 14 crew members from stranded bulk vessel in Arabian Sea

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Friday rescued as many as 14 crew members onboard a 121.6 metre long bulk vessel that got stranded in the Arabian sea on Thursday afternoon after the vessel that was anchored in the vicinity of the Kulaba fort got dragged due to turbulent sea and losing control ran aground reefs about 1.85 kms (one Nautical mile) off Alibaug beach.The rescue operation by helicopter airlifting the crew members could be carried out only on Friday between 10 am and 11 am, as on Thursday, the sea was rough and heavy rain with windy weather prevented flying the chopper to reach the vessel's location for rescue operation, informed a source at ICG.
An official from DG shipping informed that a preliminary inquiry under section 358 of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 has been initiated by DG shipping into the incident of aground bulk vessel JSW, Raigad off Alibag beach. The vessel owner has arranged for assessment of the vessel for salvage.
Raigad additional SP, Atul Zende said, "All 14 crew members on the stranded bulk vessel were successfully evacuated by ICG helicopter that carried out seven trips within an hour and safely embarked at Alibag beach. The JSW bulk vessel was not loaded with any cargo or consignment. The vessel had unloaded coal consignment at JSW Salav jetty, Revdanda in Alibag taluka and was sailing back to JSW Jaigarh port in Ratnagiri district, when the inclement weather condition resulted in the vessel getting stranded in the sea."
The ICG source informed that the empty bulk vessel with 14 crew member was anchored near Alibaug beach, probably waiting for some consignment to be loaded from another cargo vessel arriving at the spot. But, due to turbulent sea, the anchor dragged and losing control the vessel drifted into the sea and got stuck in the shallow sea level after running aground the reefs. The sea water flooded the engine room causing power failure. At 1.34 pm, the crew members sent a distress message to the ICG using the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System ( GMDSS) meant for communicating during emergency. As the weather was bad and the IGC chopper could not fly to the vessel's location, it was ensured that the crew members were safe till the rescue operation begins. The crew members had to spend the entire night onboard the vessel. On Friday morning, as the sea was not rough and the weather was not windy, the ICG chopper flew from Juhu around 10 am and reached the stranded vessel for rescue operation that was completed within an hour.