In a swift rescue operation, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Veera saved nine fishermen who suffered severe burn injuries after their boat caught fire and sank at sea off the Andhra coast on Thursday.
The ICGS Veera, on patrol in the area, received a radio message from a nearby fishing boat about a raging fire onboard the Indian Fishing Boat (IFB) Durga Bhavani, located around 65 nautical miles from Visakhapatnam harbor.
The IFB Durga Bhavani, an Andhra-registered boat, had sailed from Kakinada harbor on March 26th with nine crew members. On April 5th, a fire incident occurred on the boat, resulting in an explosion of a gas cylinder onboard. All nine fishermen jumped into the water to escape, but some suffered severe burn injuries in the process. The fishing boat, damaged by the explosion, sank at the location within minutes.
Sensing the urgency of the situation, the ICGS Veera promptly proceeded at top speed, reaching the location within a few hours to provide assistance to the survivors. All nine survivors were shifted to the Coast Guard ship, where they received first aid from a medical team.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 6, in coordination with the Joint Director of Fisheries Visakhapatnam, promptly arranged ambulances along with medical teams to evacuate the critically injured crew members. All the injured fishermen were transferred to King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam for further treatment. Due to the swift response by the Coast Guard ship, the entire rescue mission was completed within a short span of six hours.
The Indian Coast Guard, the lead agency for providing assistance to fishermen at sea and the national coordinating agency for Search and Rescue operations, has once again demonstrated its commitment to safeguarding lives at sea through this timely and efficient rescue operation. The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by fishermen in their line of work and the crucial role played by the Coast Guard in ensuring their safety and well-being.
