NEW DELHI: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued two crew members aboard a US-flagged yacht stranded in turbulent waters southeast of Indira Point in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, officials said on Friday.
The distressed sailing vessel, Sea Angel, with one American and one Turkish national on board, sent out an alert after becoming disabled due to a blown sail and an entangled propeller. The distress signal was received at 11:57 am on July 10 by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Port Blair via the US Consulate in Chennai.
Responding swiftly, the MRCC activated the International Safety Net and alerted nearby merchant vessels while initiating rescue coordination protocols. Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Rajveer was dispatched at 2 pm to assist the stranded yacht.
The Coast Guard vessel reached the scene by 5:30 pm, established contact with the crew, and assessed the situation despite challenging weather conditions. The crew was found safe and in good health.
By 6:50 pm, Sea Angel was taken under tow and escorted to Campbell Bay, where it safely arrived at 8 am on July 11.
Despite heavy winds and mechanical disablement, the crew was found safe and in good health, the official said.