Mangaluru, 26 Oct

The Indian Coast Guard said it rescued 31 fishermen stranded aboard the fishing boat IFB Sant Anton-I, which had been adrift in the Arabian Sea for 11 days due to a steering gear failure. The fishing boat was last reported approximately 100 nautical miles off New Mangaluru.

According to an official release, on 24 October, the Indian Coast Guard Headquarters No. 3 (Karnataka) launched a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation after receiving information about the missing vessel, which was based in Goa.

ICGS Kasturba Gandhi, which was on routine patrol, was immediately diverted to the last known position of the distressed vessel. Simultaneously, a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft from Kochi was tasked for an aerial search to locate the missing boat, which had drifted significantly due to adverse weather conditions.

Leveraging the Integrated Operations Centre and real time weather data, the Coast Guard plotted the probable drift and directed the ship to the updated location. On 25 October, the Dornier aircraft successfully sighted the fishing boat, enabling ICGS Kasturba Gandhi to reach the spot and provide critical assistance, including logistics support, damage assessment, and on-site repair of the steering system and ensuring watertight integrity of the IFB.

After stabilising the vessel, the Coast Guard ship handed over the distress IFB to another IFB to tow the IFB Sant Anton-I safely to Honnavar fishing harbour, ensuring the wellbeing of all 31 crew members onboard.