Merchant boat collision sinks Coast Guard vessel

A Coast Guard ship sank after a private merchant vessel rammed into it in the Mumbai Harbour today evening, officials said. No casualties were reported.

A Coast Guard vessel docked for repairs at Mumbai Port Trust sank after a merchant vessel crashed into the patrol vessel on Tuesday evening.

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No deaths or injuries were, a Coast Guard official said.

Merchant vessel MV Global Purity was entering the Mumbai Port to dock when it crashed into ICGS Vivek - a 74.1-metre long offshore patrol vessel. A gaping hole opened in the Vivek, harboured at the port for repairs since October. The repairs and refit was almost done and the vessel was to be handed back to the Coast Guard in May, sources said.

“We have registered a complaint amounting to negligence against those handling MV Global Purity. Investigations would reveal what caused the accident,” said Madhukar Kohe, deputy commissioner of police (Port Zone). Commissioned on August 19, 1989, Vivek had been part of pollution patrol, policing, anti-smuggling and search and rescue operations.