Thursday, June 25, 2015

14 Sailors Rescued as MV Coastal Pride Cargo Ship Carrying Cement Capsizes Off India


The bottom of the MV Coastal Trader after capsizing. Photo: India Ministry of Defence
The bottom of the MV Coastal Pride after capsizing. 
Photo: India Ministry of Defence
In another sinking this week, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard rescued fourteen sailors from a general cargo ship as it capsized and sank in severe weather off the coast of Umargam, India on Wednesday.
India’s Ministry of Defence reports that the Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a distress call Wednesday morning from the anchored MV Coastal Pride requesting the evacuation of all 14 crew members as the vessel rolled in inclement weather.

The Coastal Pride had been anchored about 9 miles from the coast off Umargam, located about 71 miles north of Mumbai, since Tuesday after the vessel began experiencing engine trouble. A tug had previously been unable to reach the vessel due to the bad weather.

After receiving the distress call, the MRCC sent a Navy and Coast Guard helicopter to assist in the rescue mission. Once on scene, the Coast Guard helicopter was able to winch up the first six sailors from the vessel and drop them at a beach in Umargam in two separate trips. As the helicopter was returning for its third trip, the ship capsized. Amazingly, the remaining eight crewmembers were rescued from the water by the Coast Guard and Navy helicopter crews, which had just arrived from Mumbai.

Reports say the 2,000 DWT vessel was carrying a cargo of cement. 

The rescue was the second this week for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. On Monday, all 20 crew members were evacuated from the severely listing MV Jindal Kamakshi, which was anchored about 25 kilometers from Vasai creek, just north of Mumbai.

There were no casualties in either incident, other than the lost cargo and ships.

More Photos:
11403250_584294151713688_37623994022287023_n
11210436_584294091713694_1872126134882109011_n
11229766_584294135047023_6730985326932683621_n
11018341_584294095047027_7454833854010763925_n
Photos courtesy India Ministry of Defence