KOCHI: On Wednesday, the seventh day of the rescue operation, the Navy and Indian Coast Guard rescued 30 fishermen stranded in sea due to cyclone Ockhi.They also provided food and potable water to around 100 fishermen. While the Southern Naval Command continued Operation Sahayam, the search and rescue operation to save fishermen hit by Ockhi and distributed disaster relief material, 10 small and medium ships of the Coast Guard, including two from Mumbai, continued the search for stranded fishermen.
Nine naval vessels, including INS Chennai and INS Kolkota from the Western Naval Command, four types of aircraft, including P8i, Dornier, Seaking and Chetak, continued the search operation over an extended search and rescue area of 300 miles (482.8 km)west of Lakshadweep islands and 450 miles (724.2 km) off Kerala Coast, the Navy said in a statement.
The Navy has so far saved 148 persons and recovered three cadavers from the sea, besides providing assistance to 187 persons. On Tuesday night, the P8i aircraft located a vessel St Damian drifting away at 180 (289.68km) miles northwest of Kavaratti. INS Chennai rushed to the spot and rescued the 13-member crew on Wednesday morning. The stranded fishermen were given food, water and medicine. The boat was towed and handed over to Coast Guard ship Shoor.
Navy puts off OPeration Demo
Kochi: The Southern Naval Command has suspended the Operation Demonstration scheduled to be held on Saturday and Sunday here as part of the Navy Week celebrations. The demonstrations have been suspended as all available ships and aircraft of the Southern Naval Command are engaged in the relief and rescue operations in the aftermath of Ockhi.