New Delhi, May 17
A massive rescue operation has been launched at Arabian Sea after a ‘barge’ – an engineering ship — working near the off-shore oil-rigs of ‘Bombay High’ is adrift – meaning powerless to control itself.
There are 273 personnel on board. A free-floating barge in the ongoing cyclonic winds can be of a risk to other ships and also to the oil installations which are some 70 km south-west of Mumbai.
Indian Navy spokesperson in New Delhi Commander Vivek Madhwal confirmed that a request for assistance has come from Barge ‘P305’ adrift off Heera Oil Fields in Bombay High area. “It has 273 personnel on board, INS Kochi has sailed out from Mumbai with despatch for search and rescue (SAR) assistance. INS Talwar is also preparing to sail out,” Commander Madhwal added.
Meanwhile, the Navy has got another SOS call. A Barge ‘GAL Constructor’ with 137 people onboard is adrift some 15 km west of Mumbai. INS Kolkata sailed out on Monday afternoon to render assistance.
Both the barges may have to be tugged back into port if engines have failed or the water had filled in the engine room – normally at the lowest deck of the ship.
Several other ships and aircraft have also been readied for tasking in the wake of Cyclone Tauktae, he added.
