Coast Guard Saves 11 Crew Members As Cargo Ship Sinks Off Sagar Islands

The Indian Coast Guard on Sunday night successfully carried out a rescue operation, saving 11 crew members from cargo ship MV ITT Puma which was en route from Kolkata to Port Blair, officials said, adding that the vessel sank 70 nautical miles south of Sagar Island due to inclement weather.

According to a Coast Guard official on Monday, three crew members remain missing.

The Mumbai-registered cargo vessel was en route from Kolkata to Port Blair, the Coast Guard said.

"In an unprecedented night operation, Coast Guard personnel rescued 11 persons in a sea-air coordinated operation. MV ITT PUMA sunk, 70 nm south of Sagar Island," a Coast Guard spokesperson said.

The challenging rescue involved coordinated efforts by Coast Guard ships Sarang and Amogh, as well as support from a Dornier aircraft, he added.

A senior Coast Guard official said the Mumbai-registered ship with a carrying capacity of 75 metric tons sank around 80 km from Kolkata.

It said the vessel reportedly sank about 90 nautical miles south of Sagar Island.

"Information was received by Coast Guard Haldia from Sagar VTS (Vessel Tracking System) yesterday. Coast Guard Dornier aircraft located it at 9:30 pm and ICG ships Sarang and Amogh reached position at 9:45 pm and commenced search and rescue mission," the spokesperson said.

"The Maritime Search & Rescue Coordination Centre, Chennai initially received a distress signal late in the evening on Aug. 25," the Coast Guard said.

"The Indian Coast Guard's regional headquarters (North East) in Kolkata promptly mobilised two ICG vessels and a Dornier aircraft to the site," it said.

"The Dornier aircraft, equipped with advanced night-capable sensors detected adrift life rafts and sighted survival red flares from the distressed crew," it said.

Guided by the aircraft, the ICG ship reached the coordinates where two life rafts were found tied together, housing the survivors, the Coast Guard said.