CG rescue all 137 from a stranded barge off Palghar

The Coast Guard (CG) on Tuesday rescued all 137 crew onboard GAL Constructor, a barge of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) which ran aground in Palghar, 48 nautical miles off Colaba, on Monday due to Cyclone Tauktae

The Coast Guard (CG) on Tuesday rescued all 137 crew onboard GAL Constructor, a barge of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) which ran aground in Palghar, 48 nautical miles off Colaba, on Monday due to Cyclone Tauktae.

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The rescue operation started on Tuesday morning and by evening the mission was accomplished, said a Coast Guard official. The barge was drifting towards the North after it lost power due to Cyclone Tauktae which created havoc since Monday.

Commander Mehul Karnik, chief public relation officer, Coast Guard, said three Chetak choppers from CG base at Daman swung into action and reached the spot, along with CG ship Samrat and a Naval chopper amid very rough and inclement weather conditions due to the cyclone. Some of the rescued crew were given medical treatment at an English medium school at Mahim (not Mumbai) for any sea-related ailments, said Dr Kalpana Mavchi, medical officer. The Palghar district collector Dr Manek Gursal also reached the spot to supervise the rescue mission.

Chopper makes emergency landing

An Indian Navy chopper made an emergency landing at Pali village in Bhayander on Tuesday morning due to inclement weather with gusty winds and rains. Senior inspector Prashant Langi of Uttan Coastal police station said the chopper with two member crew took off from the Naval base in Colaba on Tuesday morning for surveillance, when near Uttan the chopper faced low visibility and the pilot landed the helicopter at Pali jetty in Uttan. There was also a huge crowd at the jetty to see the helicopter and we offered drinking water to the crew before it took flight said Langi.