In Dramatic Rescue, Sailors Pulled Out After Ship Sinks Off Mumbai

Mumbai:  Over a dozen sailors were pulled to safety in a dramatic rescue operation by the navy and Coast Guard after their ship sank off the Mumbai coast this morning.

Visuals show the crew floating in choppy waters in orange life jackets, the sinking merchant vessel, MV Coastal Pride, in the background. The ship, a cement carrier, sank 24 nautical miles north of Mumbai because of bad weather.

After receiving an SOS from the ship, the navy sent a Sea King chopper with divers. An hour later, the coast guard dispatched two Chetak helicopters.

“In a swift response to an SOS from a distressed offshore coastal vessel MV Coastal Pride, navy and coast guard swung into action and rescued 14 crew members,” said navy spokesperson, Captain DK Sharma.

The rescued sailors were brought to Umargaon in Gujarat, around 150 km from Mumbai.

Two days ago, the navy rescued 20 crew members of a drifting merchant vessel using its Sea King chopper. Swaying in strong winds and heavy rain, the ship had listed dangerously after some heavy containers on board had tilted to one side.