CHENNAI: Indian Coast Guard came to the rescue of 250 passengers, including 102 bound for Chennai, after passenger ship MV Swaraj Dweep reported flooding on Thursday.
An Indian Coast Guard Spokesman told Express that they received the call from Captain U P Singh at around 0130hours followed by an e-mail requesting urgent assistance to arrest flooding in the number two hold, where cargos are being kept, around 40 nautical miles from Keating Point Lighthouse in Car Nicobar.
The vessel which was bound for Nancowry and then to Campbell Bay before proceeding to Chennai had 102 passengers bound for Chennai and 148 local passengers.
Indian Coast Guard vessel Aruna Asaf Ali was immediately sent and de-flooding operations are continuing at the vessel.
The spokesman said that flooding was contained onboard at 5 metres level. Currently, two passenger vessels have been sent to transfer the passengers onboard, the spokesman said.