Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has detained four foreign nationals from a boat approximately 46 nautical miles off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The operation, which took place on December 6, was carried out with swift coordination between sea and air units, after the suspect vessel was reported by a fishing boat to an ICG Dornier aircraft.
According to the Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chennai, two ICG ships intercepted the wooden boat, apprehended the individuals onboard, and subsequently handed them over to the Coastal Security Group (CSG) of Tamil Nadu Police for further investigation.
Humanitarian Rescue Operation: 12 Crew Members Saved from Sunken Vessel
In another notable operation, the Indian Coast Guard rescued 12 crew members of the sunken Indian vessel, MSV Al Piranpir, on December 4 from the North Arabian Sea. This search and rescue mission was a collaborative effort between the Indian Coast Guard and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), with both nations’ Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) maintaining continuous communication.
The mechanized sailing vessel (Dhow) Al Piranpir, which had departed from Porbandar and was en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran, sank early on December 4 due to rough seas and flooding. After receiving a distress call, ICG’s MRCC in Mumbai immediately alerted ICG’s Regional Headquarters (North West) in Gandhinagar. ICG Ship Sarthak was dispatched to the location, and Pakistan’s MRCC was also notified, resulting in swift assistance from the Pakistani Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).
“The vessel sank on December 4, but the crew had abandoned the ship on a dinghy. This humanitarian mission saw close collaboration between ICG and PMSA, with both nations’ MRCCs coordinating throughout the operation. PMSA aircraft assisted in searching for survivors,” the Indian Coast Guard said in a post on X.