An Indian Navy’s MiG-29K fighter jet, on a routine sortie, crashed off the coast of Goa on October 12, 2022. The pilot ejected safely in the sea. The pilot was spotted by Indian Coast Guard’s Dornier Do-228 plane and was subsequently rescued by a Naval ALH in a coordinated operation.
The Indian Coast Guard, Goa unit on September 17, saved 19 crew members from a bitumen tanker MT Parth that sank off the coast of Ratnagiri. The Gabon flagged vessel began to take on water after it suffered engine malfunction and was unable to maneuver in rough sea conditions.
The Coast Guard hasn’t been just involved in conducting search and rescue (SAR) missions. It has successfully saved lives of persons needing medical emergency by evacuating the patients from sea to shore in time.
Since 2006, the Goa unit of Coast Guard has conducted 99 SAR missions, 19 medical evacuation cases handled while total 391 lives have been saved.
“The ICG is always maintaining a tight vigil for preventing any untoward incident within our waters. We have been involved in numerous SAR and medical evacuation cases,” ICG sources said.
“Last year in May, 15 crew onboard a fishing boat ‘Milad’ were rescued by ICG Ship during cyclone ‘Tauktae’ off Goa coast. During the same period, a distress call was received by us from MV Sagar Sarvekshak with 52 crew embarked. The vessel got trapped in the path of cyclone Tauktae. We provided assistance to vessel in avoiding the cyclone by continuous forwarding of actual position of eye of storm, received from IMD, Goa,” sources at Goa Coast Guard headquarters said.
In June 2021, a medical emergency was reported from Korean Vessel MT Elim off Goa. An ICG ship and a chopper were tasked to rescue the patient. The helicopter successfully evacuated the patient and transferred him to SMRC Hospital.
Again in September 2021, a patient from Indian Fishing Boat Alvernaz was recovered by ICG ship and handed over to owner of the boat for medical management at Goa.
“As you can see, we have been out in the sea to provide support to our people in times of emergency. Thankfully, we have been able to save lives in most of the occasions. We are there at the service of the people. The Indian Coast Guard is your friend at sea,” and have saved on an average one life every day (through out the coast) the Coast Guard sources said.
