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Indian Coast Guard ship Sankalp monitored the distress call by MV Asian Forest and immediately established communication with the vessel. The distress was also reported to the Coast Guard ship by Coast Guard District Hq at Panambur and NMPT.
ICGS Sankalp promptly acted to the distress call and arrived in the indicated position of MV Asian Forest at 13:05 hrs. It was observed that M V Asian Forest was tilted towards its right side and was heading back to new Mangalore port. The vessel was interrogated by the Coast Guard ship and the Captain of M V Asian Forest confirmed that his ship could sustain its passage back to New Mangalore anchorage, a distance of about 20 km.
The distressed vessel was then escorted by ICGS Sankalp back to south of anchorage area of NMPT as requested by New Mangalore Port Authority. Thereafter ICGS Sankalp resumed its coastal patrol. Meanwhile, M V Asian Forest tried to correct its problem by counter flooding its tanks on the left side to balance out. However this resulted in even bigger problem and the ship now dangerously tilted to left side.
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Finally the captain of vessel decided to abandon the ship and called out to Coast Guard and Port Control at 16:00 hrs for help. ICGS Sankalp, whicg was now heading for Karwar immediately responded and headed back for New Mangalore Port limits where M V Asian Forest was anchored and tilted to left. The Coast Guard ship, doing its max speed, recharged for assistance at 17:20 hrs. By that time the cargo ship had listed by 50 degree to left side with waves splashing on the deck. 13 of the 18 crew could manage to embark a rescue boat and leave the ship. Rest 5, in cluding the captain of the ship, were picked up by the Coast Guard ship from water. Thereafter when it was assured from its HQ at Panambur and NMPT that the rescue boat had recharged at Mangalore Port with all crew onboard safe, ICGS Sankalp returned back to New Mangalore harbour at 19:45 hrs. |
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ICGS Sankalp thus achieved the safety of life at sea of all personnel in the face of rough seas, strong winds and high waves of the southwest monsoon which had earlier done the damage to the cargo ship M V Asian Forest. The ship, which is based in Mumbai, was on coastal patrol undertaken dew to the recent spate of threat warnings of infiltration from our sea front.
The ship, one of the most advanced in Indian Coast Guard as on date is commanded by the Deputy Inspector General Kuldeep Singh Sheoran. Its crew comprises of about 10 officers and 90 sailors. This is the same ship, which had earlier apprehended F V Kuber post 26/11attacks on Mumbai. |