Goa: Navy, Coast Guard rescue ship from sinking off

Mangalore Today News Network

Karwar, June 10, 2016, DHNS: A merchant ship which developed a leak on its starboard and was in danger of sinking off the Goa coast was rescued by the Navy and Coast Guard on Thursday.

MV Infinity I from Panama carrying 1,750 tonnes of tar was being escorted to the Karwar port and was expected to arrive by late Thursday night.

The ship, which left Kandla port in Gujarat and was sailing towards Karwar, developed a leak around 7.30 pm on Wednesday from the Goa coast.

As water entered the ship and the ship crew failed to plug the leak, it was in danger of sinking.

The Navy, on an alert, despatched its ship INS Trikand along with a four-member team, including two officers, on a rescue mission. Using a high-efficiency pump, Naval personnel pumped out the water from the merchant ship.

Goa Coast Guard’s Amal and Shoor vessels, besides a tug boat, assisted in the rescue. Another vessel INS Kondal and a helicopter were kept in reserve to evacuate the endangered ship’s crew if the situation went awry The captain apart, 14 Indian crew members were on board the ship. “The ship from Panama was saved from sinking and is being escorted to Karwar port,” Karwar Coast Guard PRO M S Rajan told DH.