The distress call was received when the National Institute of Oceanography’s (NIO) vessel was about 20 nautical miles from the Karwar coastline, adrift at a speed of 03 knots
The Coast Guard ship tows (green) RV Sindhu Sadhana
In a remarkable display of swift and efficient response, the Indian Coast Guard successfully averted a potential environmental disaster on Thursday when they rescued NIO’s research ship RV Sindhu Sadhana, with a crew of 36 and eight eminent scientists.
The vessel had suffered engine failure and was drifting perilously close to Karwar in Karnataka, and posed a threat of running aground that could have resulted in a major oil spill, said an official of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
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The distress call was received when the National Institute of Oceanography’s (NIO) vessel was about 20 nautical miles from the Karwar coastline, adrift at a speed of 03 knots.
“The proximity of the ship to the ecologically sensitive Karwar coastline posed an imminent threat of grounding, which could have resulted in a major oil spill and devastating pollution to the marine environment,” an official of the ICG said. A potential disaster was averted, and the scientific mission and precious data onboard the ship have been preserved, said officials.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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