VISAKHAPATNAM: In a swift deep-sea operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued a mechanised fishing boat and its six-member crew after it drifted nearly 300 kilometres off the coast following an engine failure.
The vessel, MM-108, owned by B. Raju of Visakhapatnam, had set sail from the city’s fishing harbour on March 5 under the Marine Products Export Development Authority’s (MPEDA) Deep Sea Fishing Project. On March 12, the boat suffered an engine failure, leaving four Sri Lankan nationals and two local fishermen stranded at sea.
Upon receiving a complaint from the owner, authorities including MPEDA, the department of fisheries and the district administration coordinated with the Coast Guard to initiate a rescue operation.
The boat had recently been fitted with a transponder under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, which transmitted its precise location. This enabled the Coast Guard to track the vessel and carry out the rescue efficiently.
The boat and its crew were brought safely ashore at around 4:00 a.m. on March 18.
Expressing gratitude to the authorities, the owner underscored the importance of maintaining functional tracking devices. “The rescue highlights the growing role of technology in securing the welfare of fishermen,” stated P. Lakshman Rao, the joint director of fisheries in Visakhapatnam.
