The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on October 25 rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen from the sea off Sagar Island near the India-Bangladesh International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) on October 22. In a rapid coordinated search and rescue (SAR) operation, the ICG saved their lives after Coast Guard Dornier aircraft on a surveillance flight after the landfall of Cyclone “SITRANG” spotted their overturned boats and alerted the SAR team. They were quickly rescued and handed over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard.
The ICG launched its Dornier aircraft after the landfall of Cyclone “SITRANG” to disinfect the near-shore area off Odisha and West Bengal and to provide relief to the sailors affected by the cyclone. During an observation sortie, an ICG Dornier aircraft sighted approximately 20 persons in the water about 90 NM from IMBL when their boats overturned in the cyclone. Survivors clung to floats and debris from the sunken fishing boat. The ICG dropped a lifeboat nearby and remained in the area until the survivors boarded the lifeboat.
The ICG aircraft then diverted the merchant vessel “Nanta Bhum” which was nearby on its passage from Port Klang, Malaysia to Calcutta, and ordered it to pick up 20 persons from the lifeboat it had dropped. Coast Guard ships Vijaya, Varad and C-426 were diverted to augment SAR efforts and decontaminate the area. The 20 Bangladeshi fishermen were subsequently picked up by the ICG Ship Vijaya. The fishermen were checked by the medical officer on board the ICG ship and then handed over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Indian Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Coast Guard.
It is pertinent to mention that the Indian Coast Guard in coordination with the State Governments of Odisha and West Bengal have initiated preventive and precautionary measures as per their established Standard Operating Procedure to mitigate the risk posed by the impending weather/cyclone and ensure the timely and safe return of all fishing boats after receiving first indication of formation of ‘low pressure area’ predicted by IMD regarding Cyclone ‘SITRANG’. This recommendation was also shared with the Bangladesh Coast Guard. During cyclonic weather, the ICG broadcast warnings through the radar station and remote operating stations.