VISAKHAPATNAM: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued 20 crew members of a bulk carrier that ran aground off Bendamurulanka in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district following Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab, in a high-risk operation amid rough sea conditions.
The Coast Guard deployed its ship Sujay and a helicopter to evacuate the crew members from M/V Sigma Pearl, which ran aground about 1.7 km from the nearest shoreline. The successful rescue ensured that 20 crew members were brought to safety, with no loss of life reported in the incident.
In an official post, the ICG said, “In a challenging rescue operation at sea off Antarvedi in Andhra Pradesh, in the aftermath of Very Severe Cyclone Arnab, ICGS Sujay along with ICG Helicopter safely rescued all 20 crew members onboard aground vessel MV Sigma Pearl amidst rough seas. ICG’s preemptive measures, coastal monitoring, and DRT deployment along the Andhra coast ensured ZERO loss of life at sea.”
The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, which was transporting rock phosphate, reportedly lost power and dragged its anchor before drifting towards the coast. The vessel had experienced repeated failures of its auxiliary engines and generators during its stay at Visakhapatnam Port, affecting cargo operations.
Engine failure gave rise to power issues: Report
According to reports, Sigma Pearl arrived at Visakhapatnam on September 16, and was berthed on September 20. It completed unloading its cargo at 5.30 pm on October 26. The vessel was subsequently shifted to the anchorage on October 27.
According to reports, the vessel had experienced repeated shutdowns of its generators while berthed at Visakhapatnam Port, forcing cargo operations to be halted on several occasions. The vessel reportedly faced serious power-generation problems due to failure of its auxiliary engines, both at berth and at anchorage.
Its earlier power-generation problems reportedly left it without sufficient power to maintain its position, leading to the anchor being dragged and the vessel drifting towards the shore.
The incident was reported to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Chennai, which alerted the Regional Coordination Centre in Visakhapatnam and Coast Guard stations across Andhra Pradesh. The Coast Guard station at Nizampatnam also informed the district administration.
The ICG said its preemptive measures, coastal surveillance and deployment of disaster response teams along the Andhra coast helped ensure zero loss of life at sea following the very severe cyclonic storm.
