Mangalore: Coast Guard officials on Wednesday rescued seven crew members who were stranded in a boat for about 36 hours around 45 nautical miles (NM) south of Mangalore. According to Coast Guard officials around 5 pm on Tuesday, Assistant Director fisheries Malpe intimated them that a fishing boat Jalajyothi (Sudeshna) was stranded 10 NM from coast off Kotepora, near Kannur, which is 45 NM south of Mangalore due to gear box failure and the lives of its seven crew were in danger.
“Immediately Coast Guard Ship Rajdoot sailed for the search and rescue mission. The ship which arrived in area at 10.55 pm on Tuesday, began search for the boat and established communication with the stranded boat crew on wireless. They reported that they had a defective gear box and were stranded for past 36 hours, since August 11. At about midnight the ship sighted the boat.
Despite heavy swell, strong winds and the boat tossing up and down, it was taken under tow by Rajdoot at 12.6 am on August 13,” Coast Guard Commandant K Ajay said.
“The operation was made more difficult because of the night and poor visibility. It was safely brought to mouth of Mangalore fishing harbour at 8.30 am on Wednesday. Since the waters around the fishing harbour are shallow, the ship contacted a boat owner to take over the boat. Thereafter the boat was taken inside the Mangalore fishing harbour with the help of one fishing boat,” he added.
