The Indian Coast Guard rescued all six crew members of a fishing boat in distress after it began filling up in rough seas off the Suratkal coast near Mangaluru, Karnataka, when it began to sink under water during rough weather conditions. The Coast Guard's quick and efficient response and operational readiness in the search and rescue operation were appreciated for the Coast Guard’s swift response and the rescue operation was also an example of how the Coast Guard is effectively protecting lives at sea.
The incident occurred on June 29 when Manju Matha suffered hull damage about 33 nautical miles off the Suratkal coast, which caused seawater to rapidly enter the vessel, putting the crew in immediate danger, Coast Guard officials said.
Distress Call Received Over VHF Radio
At around 4:00 pm, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS Sachet) received a distress call from the fishing boat crew over a Very High Frequency (VHF) radio.
The fishermen said there was severe flooding inside the vessel after the hull suffered heavy damage in rough weather.
When ICGS Sachet realized how serious and important the situation was, it immediately switched course and headed towards the distressed boat.
Rescue in Rough Seas
The Coast Guard vessel was on its way within 90 minutes despite the weather conditions.
The rescue operation was carried out in rough seas, strong winds, poor visibility and approaching darkness, making it particularly difficult for rescue personnel, officials said.
With remote-operated lifebuoys and specialised rescue procedures, Coast Guard personnel safely evacuated all six fishermen from the damaged vessel.
The operation was completed by around 6:00 pm and there were no injuries among the rescued crew members.
Crew Brought Safely to Shore
After the rescue, all six fishermen were safely transported to New Mangalore where authorities are providing temporary accommodation while the necessary administrative and legal formalities are finalized.
The distressed vessel is Manju Matha, a 10.97-metre-long fibreglass fishing boat registered in Udupi. The vessel was built in 2019 and was operating off the Karnataka coast when the emergency occurred, the officials said.
Coast Guard Reaffirms Commitment to Maritime Safety
The Indian Coast Guard said such a successful rescue showed the quick response of the Coast Guard to emergencies at sea, despite adverse weather conditions.
Officials said the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of modern rescue equipment, trained personnel and coordinated maritime emergency response systems.
The force has also said it will continue to protect fishermen and other mariners along India’s long coastline in the event of rough weather when the risk of maritime accidents increases significantly.
The Coast Guard also asked fishing communities to be on guard, be aware of weather advisories and report any emergency right away via existing maritime communication channels.
With the timely intervention of ICGS Sachet, what could have been a major maritime disaster ended with all six fishermen being rescued safely, once again demonstrating the importance of the Indian Coast Guard in saving lives at sea.
